Child of Earth
by Lumendea
Summary: Rose Tyler is in her final year of uni. but the universe isn't going to make it easy for her. Too many enemies know that this is their last chance to destroy her before she vanishes with the Doctor and have plans in motion that threaten not only Rose but her entire planet. Thirteen full episodes and seventh in the Guardians of the Universe series.
1. Skye: Dropped on the Doorstep

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter One: Skye: Dropped on the Doorstep

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Welcome back to the Guardians of Earth. This is it, the final Earth based story! I'm super excited with what I have lined up for you this time. Some interesting retellings and mostly original episodes! If you missed the Christmas special: Under the Mistletoe Moon then I strongly urge you to go and read that before starting this.

…

Rose Marion Tyler was twenty-one years old with her head buried underneath the thick purple duvet of her bed and her body half curled around a stray pillow. It was late September and classes had started back at Cambridge with Rose in her fourth year of uni. In her defense, the fourth year was due to her concurrent degree, but Rose found herself back at Bannerman Road on this fine Sunday morning thanks to Tosh's 'freedom party'.

Not really much of a party of course, but UNIT scientific division staff had spent Saturday at Tosh's new flat moving furniture and unpacking boxes around eating delivery pizza and drinking a bottle or three of wine. Well more like making the soldiers like Mickey that they'd dragged along move furniture while they supervised. Mickey had been a good sport about it, Ross, too thankfully and left Tosh a stuttering grateful mess. In the end, Toshiko Sato was now considered a free woman whose parole had been lifted and would be remaining with Malcolm and Kate in the scientific division.

Groaning softly, Rose shifted under the duvet and began the internal debate of 'to get up or to not get up' that was a well-known issue on Sunday mornings. She felt warm, comfy and very lazy and there was lots of time to gather her things and return to Cambridge. Rose wasn't sure what time it was, but it felt early. Rose was considering rolling over and going back to sleep for a few more hours.

Though she had wanted to have lunch with Sharon and Shareen so getting up at a reasonable time was important. The beeping of her mobile made Rose groan, but she rolled over and let her arm slide out from under the warm duvet to retrieve the phone. Bringing it under the blankets with her, Rose forced her eyes open and looked at the screen. A jolt of adrenaline rushed through her at the words:

Help! Come quickly. SJ

Leaping out of her bed, Rose grabbed her clothes for the day and got dressed in a flash. Out of habit she ran a brush through her hair and tied her hair back in a ponytail as she shoved her feet into her still tied trainers. Grabbing her keys and sonic pen, Rose quickly slid on her translator and rushed out of her room. Her mother's bedroom door was still closed and Rose finally paused to look out the window at the end of the hallway. The sun was just beginning to rise and Rose inwardly groaned even as she started moving again. When she reached the ground floor, she could hear the soft hum of Rita Anne's CPAP machine two doors down. Rushing to the front door, Rose stopped just long enough to write a quick note to her mother that Sarah Jane needed to see her. Nothing more than that, though Rose did briefly wonder if she should tell Rita Anne the truth about her job and hobbies.

After all, the woman was Mickey's grandmother and lived with them. Plus after recent events, most people were beginning to accept the idea of aliens. Rose shoved the thought aside and slipped out the front door, braced for trouble. But everything was still and quiet on the street. One of the neighbors from down the road came around the corner in their jogging wear and waved quickly to Rose before moving on.

The neat brick homes of Bannerman Road in Ealing were all a little different from each other with Sarah Jane's probably being the most distinct. It was only a few houses down and across the street from Rose's and several stories tall with a stained glass window at the attic level. Rose scanned the house carefully as she approached for any signs of trouble. Half of the streetlights were out and a couple more were flickering oddly, casting long shadows.

Everything looked normal, Sarah Jane's old car was parked in the front and there were a couple of oddly low lights on in the house. Rose paused for a moment and looked back and forth down the street and up at the roofline. She didn't see any signs of an intruder, but as she walked to the front door Rose could hear something odd from inside of the house. It sounded like crying, but not Sarah Jane. The door was unlocked and Rose was reaching for the knob when Rani and Clyde came rushing up to join her.

"You too huh?" Rani asked nervously.

"What do you think it is?" Clyde questioned as he shifted between his feet.

"Won't know until we go in," Rose said. She fixed her eyes on them each seriously in turn. "Stay behind me."

Rose opened the door carefully and the unfamiliar crying became louder. Stepping inside, Rose braced herself for an attack but there was nothing. To her right, the living room was warm with light, but it was being lit by a collection of candles. None of the lamps were turned on and Rose looked around with a frown. Sarah Jane was standing in the middle of the living room still in her dressing gown and rocking a bundle with a frazzled expression on her face. It took Rose a moment to process that the soft crying sound was coming from the bundle and that it was actually a baby.

"Sarah Jane, what's-" Rani gasped loudly.

"Shush," Sarah Jane gasped desperately.

"That baby doing in your arms?" Rose finished with a frown.

"Shush. Don't make her cry. She cried earlier, and every light in the house blew," Sarah Jane said. She gestured weakly at the lamps. "Luke and Johnny went out for supplies."

"Okay I feel like that should have explained something and yet it didn't," Rose told Sarah Jane. She looked at the innocent looking baby, trying to process Sarah Jane's words.

"I found her on the doorstep. I was going to call the police, but I don't think they'll have much luck finding her parents," Sarah Jane told them with a weak chuckle. "Not on this planet."

The baby released another cry and the bulb of the lamp to Rose's right exploded in a shower of sparks making all four of them jump in surprise.

"Shush, it's all right. It's all right," Sarah Jane told the infant weakly in a strained voice before looking back at them. "Luke was born a thirteen-year-old boy. A teenager I can handle. But a baby? An alien baby? I need help." She looked more desperate and frazzled than Rose had ever seen her, even when an alien popped up at her wedding or when she found out that Rose knew the Doctor for the first time.

"Don't look at me," Rani retorted quickly.

"Or me, obviously," Clyde added with wide eyes.

"Yeah, well, your mums must know," Sarah Jane tried desperately.

"If I start asking Mum questions about how to look after a baby, well, she's going to totally freak," Rani reminded Sarah Jane. Rose almost laughed at the very true statement but focused on studying the baby. "Besides, she's an alien. What do any of us know?" Rani said.

The baby looked humanoid with a sweet though upset looking face and wide blue eyes. Very human in fact, Rose noted.

"What about Mister Spock?" Clyde asked.

"Ah. Mister Spock won't come out. Well, would you if you might get your circuits fried? K-9 went with Johnny and Luke and I won't be surprised if he refuses to leave the car."

The baby released a shriek that made another lamp flash. "Oh give her to me," Rose said.

Stepping forward, Rose slid her hand beneath the baby's head and helped Sarah Jane shift her into Rose's arms. The borrowed instincts of her other lives kicked in and Rose eased the child against her, rocking her softly. The infant quieted and hiccupped as Rose looked down at her. Sarah Jane signed in relief, almost collapsing onto the sofa. Adjusting her arms, Rose cradled the tiny thing against her chest as she kept moving around the room. 'The rock and walk' an odd little voice in her head offered. There was a tickle at the bad of her mind and she shifted her weight slightly to better support herself and the baby. She almost laughed, all those other lives that she had jangled around in the recesses of her mind were usually silent, but every so often they made themselves known.

"Okay, hopefully, the boys will be back soon," Rose said in a soft voice. "She's probably hungry."

As if summoned by her statement, the front door opened and Luke and Johnny came stumbling in with bags of stuff. Sarah Jane looked over at them but didn't move. Rani and Clyde rushed over to help them and Johnny glanced Rose's way as she followed them into the kitchen. In a low voice, Rose gave Clyde instructions for preparing a bottle as the baby began to hiccup again.

In a few minutes, she had a warm bottle in her hand and moved back into the living room. Everyone was watching her as Rose eased herself into one of the armchairs and positioned the baby before offering her the bottle. She began to eagerly suck at the bottle with one little hand coming up to grasp at it.

"There we go," Rose breathed with a smile. "Happy tummy, happy baby. Universal constant."

"You're a natural," Rani breathed in relief.

"I've taken care of babies before," Rose offered with a shrug, not interested in sharing that the last baby she'd looked after had been her own future daughter. "You've got to stay calm. They're very empathetic and pick up on stress."

"Yeah that's the golden rule when I look after my cousin," Clyde agreed with a nod before smiling at the little girl. "She's cute, aren't you Sparky."

"Do you think so? I always think babies look a bit rubbery," Sarah Jane remarked with a small frown as she looked over at the baby.

"Which is why our son is adopted." Johnny chuckled as he set another bottle down in front of Rose on the coffee table and sat down next to his wife.

"Her mum and dad will be going out of their minds with worry," Rani observed sadly. "They must be scouring the galaxy."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Whoever left her on my doorstep, that was no accident," Sarah Jane pointed out. "I think someone needs me to protect this baby."

"Protect her from who?" Luke asked with a frown, eyeing the baby with interest.

"That's what we have to find out before they come looking for her."

"Well once she'd done eating, she'll probably fall asleep," Rose informed them all. "Maybe then Spock can make a scan of her without being in danger."

"So what we just wait?" Rani questioned with a frown. "Until she falls asleep."

"Rule one Rani: babies operate at their own pace and time, not yours," Rose told the younger girl before they all lapsed into silence as the baby ate.

"How did moving Tosh go yesterday?" Sarah Jane asked conversationally though her eyes were still fixed on the mysterious infant.

"It went fine, we just chatted and got her mostly sorted." Rose shifted the infant who was still sucking eagerly at the last bit of the first bottle.

"Did the conversation include that new spaceship that UNIT is building that no one is supposed to know about?" Sarah Jane teased.

Rose carefully pulled the first bottle away from the infant and she began to whimper. Thankfully she quieted and made a happy gurgle as Rose gave her the second bottle.

"Yeah." Rose shrugged and gave Sarah Jane a look. "That's the one." She chuckled and shook her head, "I suppose that Spock is talking."

"Well he is in my home and I'm the secondary controller."

"Malcolm is trying to convince them to call it the _Enterprise_ though Kate favors the other top contender the Valiant."

"Oh _Enterprise_ ," Clyde said. "So much cooler."

"Dare I ask which one you prefer?" Sarah Jane asked Rose.

"Well the original plans for it as an orbital vessel only were the _Valiant_ , but thanks to our work with the Tervtians several alternations were made that make it capable of real space travel," Rose explained with a smile. "Hence Malcolm's desire to see it get a new name." Rose blushed slightly and shifted the baby who was cooing up at her. "I do sort of like _Enterprise_ , though."

"Shocking given Spock-"

"Hey, he named himself," Rose cut in.

"It must be fascinating to have your friends," Rani intoned very seriously, shaking her head. "And yet you're a natural with babies."

"Do you think you and the Doctor will ever have kids?" Luke suddenly asked making Rose tense up without meaning to.

Sarah Jane laughed at the idea, slumping back in her seat and Johnny chuckled. Forcing a small smile, Rose turned her attention to Luke. "I doubt it, we're different species after all Luke."

"Too bad," Luke said. He smiled and nodded towards the baby. "Seems like you'd be a good Mum."

"Oh well thank you, Luke," Rose answered. She hoped she didn't look too pleased as the little baby began to slow down her slurping. "That's nice of you to say, but this little one looks ready for a nap now."

"Thank goodness," Sarah Jane sighed, climbing to her feet. "Well, I'll go clean up and get dressed. Once she falls asleep try to have Spock scan her."

"And after that, any idea of where to start?" Rose questioned with a frown.

"Not yet." Sarah Jane shook her head before she rallied. "But we'll sort it out, we always do."

As the journalist vanished upstairs and Johnny stood up to go and organize the baby supplies, Rose shifted the baby in her arms as her right arm started to go to sleep. Clyde jumped up and vanished into the kitchen only to return with a carrier a moment later. Smiling in relief, Rose pulled the bottle away from the dozing infant and gently laid her in the carrier.

"How sweet," Rani cooed with a chuckle. "You wouldn't know that she makes things explode."

Rose almost laughed, but she didn't want to wake the little one. Instead, she just smiled and nodded in agreement. She was pretty cute when she wasn't making things explode.


	2. Skye: House Guest

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Two: Skye: House Guest

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Wow thanks for all the amazing reviews. I guess a lot of people were eagerly awaiting this. Yes it is Rose's last year before she travels in the TARDIS, yes I have episodes planned out for the next season when she is traveling with the Doctor and yes I will be writing that in the future.

…

Rose couldn't help but notice that Spock had emerged from the wall very quietly and that his scanning beam seemed to be moving extra slowly. Their surprise guest shifted uneasily in the carrier making a soft sound of distress. Rose carefully reached down and brushed a hand over her head in an attempt to soothe her without interfering with the scan. Looking up, she found Luke staring at the baby with interest.

"I've never seen a baby up close," Luke reminded in a soft whisper as he caught her eye. "Only around in public."

"Yeah well they look cute until you change a diaper," Clyde muttered with a grimace.

"Scan complete," Spock announced softly, the closest Rose had ever heard to the Xylok whispering. "I need to process the data. Please remove the child from the room."

Holding back the desire to tease him, Rose carefully picked up the carrier and tiptoed towards the stairs. Given that the little girl crying had blown up a few lamps and fried the television and Luke's computer already she could understand the alien's worry. Behind she could hear Spock closing back up the control consoles and held back a laugh. The tiny girl stirred in the carrier as Rose balanced herself against the banister. Once she reached the ground floor, Rose headed back into the living room with the others close behind.

"So now what?" Rani asked as Rose placed the carrier on the coffee table in each reach.

"We need to see if we can find anything out," Sarah Jane sighed. "It will take Spock a bit to go through the readings. Hopefully, he was able to pick up something to let us know where she's from." Sarah Jane shook her head and sighed. "Sadly a lot of sentient life looks human."

"No it looks Time Lord," Rose corrected with a slight smirk as she sank down into the sofa. "They came first remember?"

"Careful Rose," Sarah Jane retorted with a smile of her own. "You're sounding a bit too much like your boyfriend."

"Significant other," Rose reminded her with a small glare.

"If you two are done," Johnny interrupted gently. "What is the plan honey?" he asked Sarah Jane. "Where do we start?"

A look of uncertainty crossed Sarah Jane's face for a moment before a knock on the front door made them all jump. Rose looked towards the baby with no small hint of alarm, but the girl only stirred a tiny bit. Luke rushed out of the room as the knocking continued and Rose paused to listen as the front door opened.

"Luke," Gita's voice sailed into the house as Rani's mother and the neighbor across the street greeted Luke. "Have you been having electrical problems?"

"Uh yes," Luke answered hesitantly. "Please come in."

Rose grimaced and saw Sarah Jane do the same, but Luke had very good manners. He probably hadn't realized that explaining an unfamiliar infant would be a problem.

"Sarah we are having horrible problems with the electrical systems today," Gita announced as she moved through the entryway. "The Bates are having the same issues and Jackie told me that she can't get the telly to work properly. What about you? Haresh is on the phone with the power company now." Gita was suddenly in the room with me and Rose tensed up in alarm just praying that the baby wouldn't start crying again. "Hello Johnny," Gita greeted happily before looking at Rani in surprise. "Oh, here you are sweetheart."

"Hi Mum," Rani greeted with a wide smile as Gita moved across the living room to hug her. "Uh just hanging out with Luke and Clyde."

Gita started to nod, but then she caught sight of the carrier. A soft coo escaped her and before anyone could stop her, Gita was standing right next to Rose and looking down at the baby. Rose froze as the infant opened her eyes and yawned softly, looking up at Gita with wide blue eyes.

"Oh, is there something you've not been telling us, Sarah?" Gita asked with a wide grin, looking across the room to Sarah Jane and Johnny.

"Mum, there is a simple explanation," Rani said desperately with an almost panicked expression.

"Oh, you've started fostering, haven't you, darling?" Gita announced with a wide grin at Johnny and Sarah Jane. "How wonderful. I always thought you two made such perfect parents to Luke."

Johnny put his arm around Sarah Jane's shoulders and she couldn't quite keep the touched expression off her face.

"Oh, thank you, Gita."

"Bet she's a proper little handful," Gita chuckled as she looked back at the infant. "Aren't you? Aren't you, my little darling?"

"Yes, well, it was all a bit sudden" Johnny explained with a laugh. "Sort of an emergency. That's why we called in the kids to help us get some supplies and the like."

"Yes, I practically opened the door and there she was like she'd fallen out of the sky," Sarah Jane added in a rush.

"Oh, like that thing last night," Gita laughed. "What's her name?"

"Her name?" Clyde said uneasily.

"Uh it's-" Luke tried to answer.

"What thing last night?" Sarah Jane pressed, almost making Rose laugh.

"I heard it on the local radio. A meteor landed in that wrecker's yard on Peel Road," Gita answered with a dismissive shrug.

"A meteor?" Rani repeated giving Sarah Jane and pointed look.

"She must have a name, Sarah," Gita insisted.

"Skye," Sarah Jane said suddenly with a softening smile.

"Skye?" Gita repeated in confusion.

"Yeah. Like she'd fallen out of it," Clyde explained with a look towards Sarah Jane.

"Oh, that's beautiful. Just like you," Gita cooed at the nearly christened Skye.

The baby giggled and suddenly the street exploded with the sound of car alarms making Rose and the others all flinch.

"Oh, flipping heck!" Gita sighed, straighten up and looking around angrily. "First all the light bulbs, and now the car alarms." She shook her head and started moving towards the doors. "I'll catch up with you later. If you need anything for the baby my darlings don't hesitate to call."

Everyone was quiet as Gita rushed out of the house. Thankfully the blaring of the car alarms eased quickly as Rose sat back on the couch and tried to calm Skye down. Thankfully the infant gave a little yawn and snuggled back into the blanket.

"An alien baby turns up on your doorstep and a meteor crashes on the same night?" Clyde observed with a frown. "That's a galactic coincidence."

"We should check it out," Rani announced with a stern nod.

"Absolutely," Sarah Jane agreed with a widening smile. "While Spock is analyzing Skye's scan we can check out what's landed in the wreckers yard." Sarah Jane moved over to grab her coat from the hall entry way. "Rose stay here with Skye."

"Wait what?" Rose asked, looking up in surprise.

"I'll stay too," Johnny offered her quickly with a slightly apologetic look.

"There's no baby seat. And the last thing I need is her blowing the car's electrics," Sarah Jane explained quickly as she moved over to kiss Johnny's cheek with a grateful smile. "And make sure Spock stays out of harm's way."

"You're the only one of us who really knows anything about babies," Luke reminded her with a shrug even as he, Rani and Clyde began to back away towards the front door. Rose narrowed her eyes at him as she recognized an escape attempt.

"You'll be fine," Rani added for good measure though her smile was a little too pleased.

"Look after her, Rose. I'm sure someone left her here because she's in danger. I'm relying on you."

"Potential danger so you're leaving the Star Knight with the baby," Rose sought to confirm with a doubtful tone. "I don't think that's the best plan."

"Your phone is the only one that is safe around Skye," Luke pointed out in a too reasonable voice. "All of ours just explode."

"Exactly," Sarah Jane chimed in. "We can call you once we are gone, it'll be fine Rose," Sarah Jane assured her even as she kept moving towards the door. "Remember K-9 is at Clyde's just in case." She paused and clapped her hands looking back at Rose. "Sonic pen please."

Narrowing her eyes at Sarah Jane, Rose barely held back her growl of irritation but reached into her pocket to retrieve the pen. She tossed it across the room and Clyde tried to pluck it out of the air. Sarah Jane caught it and gave him a look that earned a sheepish expression.

"We'll be in touch," Rani promised as she grinned and Rose and trotted after Sarah Jane and the others.

The door closed a moment later and a soft huff escaped Rose as Skye whimpered at the noise. She glanced down at the baby nervously as she began to stir before looking over at Johnny who was eyeing the carrier with an almost horrified expression. Sighing, Rose looked down at Skye thoughtfully.

"Well she's waking up so better get ready for a diaper change," Rose informed him only to receive an almost horrified look from him. "Fine," Rose groaned. "But you can set me up over there," Rose huffed as she gestured to an empty space in the room.

"Uh yeah right," Johnny answered carefully as he backed away from the baby and vanished into the kitchen.

The diaper change was all on her with Johnny evacuating to the kitchen once again. Rose barely resisted the urge to grumble under her breath or swear in front of the baby. Skye's soft uncomfortable cries weren't causing anything to explode just yet, but she didn't want to push their luck. Thankfully the knowledge she'd gained from her other lives saw Rose through the quick change on the pad Johnny had spread out on the floor.

"You know Skye," she observed with a chuckle. "I think it's a good thing that neither Sarah Jane nor Johnny had interest in having biological kids. Luke as a teenager seems to have been about what they could handle." She smiled down at the little girl as she secured the soft straps of the diaper before cleaning off her hands with another wipe. "They were both pretty quick to run away from a baby." Skye giggled and the lights flickered making Rose paused and glance up nervously, but nothing blew up. "Okay Johnny," Rose called over to the kitchen. "You can handle the cleanup."

"Thanks, Rose," he answered back sounding a bit sheepish. "Sorry about that."

"I'm an only child too you know," Rose reminded him as she moved over and set Skye back in the carrier for a moment. Reaching over to the armrest, Rose picked up the thick plush blanket that Sarah Jane had spread across the arm for color and laid it out of the floor. She picked Skye up carefully and gently set her down on the blanket so she could stretch out a bit. "Too bad I haven't got my violin," she told Skye with a soft smile. "I could have played you something."

"I didn't know you had a violin," Johnny observed as he cleared away the changing pad.

"It was a recent gift," Rose replied with a shrug as the baby gurgled up at her. "Anything we can use for toys?"

"Actually I grabbed a couple of things at the store," Johnny told her with a wide grin. "Just in case."

"Johnny comes through again," Rose observed to Skye with a smile. "He's pretty handy like that."

Then he returned with a bag of toys and Rose raised an eyebrow while smirking in amusement. It was obvious that he and Luke had gone shopping in a near panic. She supposed it was just lucky that they'd gotten the right size diapers. Johnny took Rose's place on the floor beside Skye and handed the baby girl a plastic key ring as she stared at it in fascination. Skye giggled as she waved the little plastic key ring around while looking at the brightly colored squishy mat in front of her.

"Seems like you have it under control," Rose observed as she stood up and stretched out. "I'm going to see if Spock has anything."

"Sure thing," Johnny told her with a nod as he beamed at the little girl. "I might take her outside in a moment just to get her away from the electronics."

"Sounds good," Rose answered as she headed for the staircase. "Spock won't argue with that."

"Why do you think Skye?" Johnny asked as Rose paused at the base of the stairs. "Want to go outside?"

The little girl giggled and what lights were still intact flickered. Johnny took it as a yes and scooped Skye up, keeping her partially wrapped up in her white blanket as she clutched at her new plastic keys. Rose shook her head as Johnny began to talk with her about electromagnetic frequencies that her laughter and crying must cause as he carried her out through the back door. Climbing up the stairs, Rose entered the attic and noted that Spock was still sealed up like a turtle in his shell.

"You can come out Spock," Rose called with a chuckle. "Skye is outside."

The wall opened and Spock's control systems and side screens unfolded dramatically. "Skye? You've given it a name?"

"She's a baby girl," Rose chided without any real bite. "And Sarah Jane did, we couldn't just keep calling it a baby."

"Please don't get attached."

"We're off topic," Rose observed. "Have you processed the scan?"

"I have," Spock informed her. "Skye is a healthy infant, but there are serious oddities that could make her a serious danger to more than just my circuits."

"Explain."

"Skye processes synthetic DNA that is programmed to enhance maturity. Once the infant is exposed to certain energy conditions she will undergo a metamorphosis and age rapidly."

"Why would someone do that?" Rose demanded in shock. "Wait, you said synthetic DNA? She was grown?"

"Yes," Spock answered before he paused for a moment. "Rose I'm afraid that the child is a weapon."

"What sort of weapon?" Rose forced out through her horror.

"A bomb to be precise. Her ability to cause electronics to malfunction seems to be only the base starting point of her powers. Upon her metamorphosis, she will be capable of unleashing a devastating wave of energy."

"What is the trigger?"

"Contact with a specific sort of energy," Spock informed her. "I do not know what sort of technology or species as of yet."

"She's a weapon," Rose whispered to herself. "What sort of sick person does that? Can you reverse it?"

"I regret not," Spock told her in a softer tone. "The child's DNA is structured to fulfill her task as a bomb. The changes needed to alter this would kill the child."

Holding back a curse, Rose took a deep shaking breath and reached into her pocket to retrieve her phone.

"Rose?"

"Time to call the Doctor," Rose muttered angrily as she brushed some hair out of her face. "We've got a doomsday weapon on Earth in the form of an innocent child. Time to call in the professionals."


	3. Skye: Metalkind

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Three: Skye: Metalkind

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Thank you for all the great reviews thus far. They are always a lot of fun to read. As some of you have noticed I did move up the timeline for the appearance of Skye and added the e to her name. I wanted her to be active while Rose was still on Earth and as for the spelling well I didn't want to confuse myself.

….

Rose kept the superphone tight against her ear as it rang and fought not to pace. She could still see the image of Skye's physical form on Spock's screen and a simulation model of her apparently weaponized DNA which did nothing to help her stay calm. The phone rang again and Rose was worried that she wasn't going to get through when it was suddenly picked up.

"Hello," a thick northern accent answered sounding a touch confused. "Rose?"

"Yes it's me, Doctor," Rose replied with a smile. She supposed that not many people had the direct number for the TARDIS. "I've got a bit of situation on Earth that could go very bad very quickly. Can you come?"

"Are you in danger?" the Doctor asked, his voice suddenly harder.

"Not in immediate danger," Rose assured him with a soft affectionate smile at his concern. "But this morning an infant was left on Sarah Jane's doorstep. She disrupts electrical signals around her and when we did manage a scan Spock discovered that she was created as a weapon."

"And she's on Earth right now?"

"Yeah, we're operating under the theory that someone sent her to Sarah Jane for safe keeping. Maybe to even get the bomb defused. Even in her current state she'd made almost everything electrical in the house short out or explode."

"This is why I don't stay in one place," the Doctor told her even as Rose heard the metallic shift of levers and knew the Doctor was changing course. "Imagine someone dropping off an infant in front of the TARDIS. When and where?"

Rose smiled as she gave the Doctor the date and time. She was very certain that the TARDIS would find Sarah Jane's attic just fine. The call ended so the Doctor could pilot and Rose moved out of the center of the room. Wringing her fingers slightly, Rose took a few controlled breaths and tried to relax. A soft sigh escaped her, why did it have to be the Ninth Doctor. She had no idea how he was with infants. The Eleventh Doctor would have been easier… of course he might have also made veiled remarks about their own daughter Astra. For a Time Lord, he never seemed all that concerned about keeping things secret.

The attic was still and silent only a moment before the familiar wheezing sound of the TARDIS began to echo in the air. A few papers on Sarah Jane's desk rustled in the breeze and then the shape of the TARDIS began to appear with its beautiful blue color becoming clear each second. It only took a moment and the TARDIS was parked in the middle of Sarah Jane's attic. The door swung open and the Doctor stepped out with his blue eyes finding Rose in an instant.

"Rose Tyler," the Doctor greeted letting her name roll off his tongue with a wide smile. Then he opened his arms.

Grinning Rose leapt forward and hugged the Ninth Doctor, breathing in the thick smell of leather, engine oil and time that always seemed to surround the man. He laughed and pulled her off the ground for a moment before he turned serious and gently set her down.

"Doctor it's good to see you," Rose told him with a silly smile of her own. "How are you?"

"All healed up from Japan," he assured her, also confirming that for once they seemed to be in synch timeline wise. "So what is happening here? I assume you want me to check the kid."

"Yes, but not in the TARDIS," Rose cautioned him quickly. "I don't know just how powerful her cries are and I don't want to put her in harm's way," Rose explained as she affectionately touched the TARDIS. "We also don't know yet what kind of energy it is that will make Skye morph into her weapon form so we need to be careful."

"I haven't irritated anyone that much lately," the Doctor quipped, but Rose could see a shadow of worry in his eyes.

"I doubt its artron energy since she's been around Sarah Jane and me, but please be careful."

He gave her a soft look and seemed ready to say something clever and no doubt deflect the overly emotional feeling settling in when a shout from outside made them both tense up. There was a sound of an energy weapon being discharged and Rose spun towards the door.

"Metal lifeform detected outside!" Spock informed them sounding almost panicked. "Rose I was not able to detect him."

Ignoring him, Rose and the Doctor rushed out the door and down the stairs. Gripping the bannister, Rose pointed to the side hallway which led to the back door and the Doctor bolted ahead of her. They opened the back door and Rose could see heavy footprints in the grass where something very heavy had crushed the vegetation, but no sign of Johnny or Skye. Rose moved around the side of the house towards the drive as the strange sounds of the energy weapon echoed down the street.

"Get in if you want the child to live!" Rose heard someone shout and she saw Johnny vanish around the corner.

Rushing to the end of the drive, Rose was just in time to see Johnny clamor into a plain looking West London Power van as a blonde stern looking woman dressed in a long dark coat held the back open for them.

"Who are you?" Johnny called to her.

"I'm her mother," the woman snapped as she reached to close the door. "Drive."

As the doors slammed shut, the van began to rush away with energy blasts ricocheting off the back. Rose turned her attention towards the tall metal man in the middle of the street who stopped shooting. She had only a moment to take in his large form and the strange armor looking exterior that she wasn't sure if it was really armor or part of its body. Weapons were strapped across its chest on a harness and while it was humanoid in shape its head resembled a lifeless helmet more than anything. It paid them no mind and vanished from sight a moment later.

"Teleport?" Rose asked, but her mind dismissed it quickly. "No, there wasn't an energy field."

"It went invisible, advanced cloaking system that is active when it isn't attacking. That's why Spock didn't detect it until it began attacking," the Doctor told her, gripping her arm and pulling her away from the street. "That creature was a metalkind," the Doctor informed Rose quietly as his eyes scanned the street. "A boron-based lifeform and I'd bet the woman who said she was the kid's mother is a fleshkind," the Doctor all but growled. "I wasn't aware their war had taken this sort of turn."

"We need to find Skye before it does," Rose whispered with a cautious look towards the street. "I'll bet it is what Skye is supposed to react to."

"That's a good guess that this point," the Doctor agreed as he pulled Rose back towards the house. "Her ability to disrupt and destroy anything based around electromagnetic properties would make her devastating to the metalkind."

"We have to follow them!"

"I need something from the TARDIS" the Doctor told her, gripping Rose's arms gently. "Hopefully we can keep the infant from priming. The van said West London Power."

"Okay, you get what you need and I'll get Spock tracking them," Rose agreed as they moved back inside.

They rushed back to the attic in silence and as the Doctor went straight for the TARDIS, Rose moved in front of Spock.

"Have you been able to keep track of them?" Rose asked urgently.

"No, they have been moving through areas without cameras," Spock apologized quickly. "Did you notice anything about the van?"

"It said West London Power," Rose informed him uneasily.

"Then this alien would have needed to acquire the van," Spock observed as images began to flicker across the screen. "I theorize that she most likely took over a local power station in order to watch for power fluctuations."

"Of course," Rose breathed. "That would have been the fastest way to find Skye. Her presence here caused a ton of electrical surges and people no doubt were calling the power company. Any idea which station?"

"They are heading for the Summerwell Nuclear Power Station," Spock suddenly announced. "The van just made a turn which leaves it as the only option."

"Okay keep an eye on them," Rose ordered as the Doctor exited the TARDIS holding a small dark blue case with a handle that Rose didn't recognize. There were small dials and buttons on one side of it. "We're heading that way," Rose told Spock. "Contact me if you get anything more." Then she turned to the Doctor. "Driving or TARDIS."

The Doctor grimaced but sighed as he closed up the TARDIS. "Better drive," he said sounding put out. "No telling what might happen to the TARDIS if she gets too close to this."

"Ah… yes," Rose agreed uneasily as she pulled off her translator and set it on the table. "Just in case Skye does get activated," she told him with a grimace. "Come on."

The Doctor followed Rose downstairs and out the door which Rose did make sure was locked. The neighborhood was in disarray with car alarms still going off a few places and flickering lights obvious through the windows. Thankfully Rose and the Doctor reached her SUV which was tucked up in the drive by her house without drawing the attention of her mother. She could hear Jackie howling about something inside, but directed the Doctor to the passenger side and focused on getting them going.

Once they were off Bannerman Road, Rose wrestled out her phone and hit the speed-dial for Sarah Jane. It rang for only a moment before the woman in question picked up.

"Rose? Is everything alright?" Sarah Jane asked Rose as she put the phone on speaker.

"Sarah Jane," Rose replied as she fought to keep her eyes on the road and wove through traffic. Thankfully the Summerwell power station was on the outskirts of London though Sarah Jane was now closer than they were. "I'm with the Doctor and we're on our way to Summerwell power station. Johnny is there with Skye."

"The Doctor- Rose what happened?"

"Johnny took Skye outside while I checked with Spock and he was attacked by some sort of metal lifeform," Rose explained in a rush. "We'll meet you there."

"Metal lifeform, that fits with what we found as well," Sarah Jane informed her sounding calmer. "Some sort of metal lifeform came down and it can go invisible."

"We know," the Doctor offered as he looked out the window. "Johnny was rescued I supposed by a woman who claimed to be Skye's mother."

"Well that's good then isn't it?" Rani's voice asked through the phone getting a look of mild surprise from Rose. "Which Doctor is this anyway?"

That question earned Rose a sharp look from the Doctor and she sighed slightly. She's deal with this later once Johnny was safe and they could confirm Skye's safety.

"You haven't met this incarnation yet Rani," Rose told the teenager. "And this isn't the time. Spock's scan indicated that Skye's power actually comes from her having been created as a weapon."

"A weapon?" Sarah Jane asked in horror. "We're getting in the car now, but explain."

"When she is near a certain kind of energy she will be primed into her primary form," the Doctor explained gently as Rose heard the sound of Sarah Jane starting her car. "This mother of Skye's created her to destroy the metalkind, they've been at war for a very long time, but the moment Skye comes in contact with the metalkind following them she'll be transformed."

"If she made an innocent child to be a weapon then she isn't a fit mother," Sarah Jane growled. "We'll meet you there."

"Sarah wait for us-" the Doctor started to say, but the phone call was cut off and a huff escaped the Doctor. "She's not going to wait for us."

"Probably not," Rose agreed uneasily. "And I'm afraid that she's got my sonic pen at the moment."

"What she left you on babysitting duty and stole your sonic pen?"

"Yeah, it's been one of those mornings," Rose sighed, tightening her fingers around the wheel. "What do you know about the metalkind, anything else that can help us?"

"Both the metalkind and fleshkind evolved in a binary planetary system exists at the eye of the Tornado Nebula," the Doctor explained to her. "They've been a war for centuries now, sadly for no real reason beyond being so different. The fleshkind are convinced that the metalkind seek to destroy all flesh while the metalkind have been under constant attack by the fleshkind."

"And now there is a doomsday weapon," Rose sighed with a shake of her head. "Why is it never easy?"

…..

Summerwell nuclear power station was a large long white building surrounded by power lines and a high fence, but as they drove closer Rose was aware of the lack of guards. No one seemed to be on duty and she caught sight of the van up ahead of them. Sarah Jane's older car was parked a few feet away. There was a metal gate open between it and the back door. Parking the SUV, Rose jumped out and rushed towards the back door with the Doctor right beside her.

"Already inside," the Doctor said as he gripped the handle of the blue box a little tighter. "Come on!"

"This is bad!" Rose called as she ran after the Doctor. "Skye in the middle of a nuclear power station! If she starts to cry!"

"The question is why would her 'mother' bring her here?" The Doctor reminded her as pulled open the unlocked door. "Come on!"

The inside of the power plant was clean and bright with a high ceiling that towered over the rows of machinery. A staircase near the door led up to a second catwalk level and the Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and tugged her towards it. He brought out his sonic screwdriver as they quietly moved forward. It seemed very quiet, too quiet to Rose and she looked around in worry.

"Where is everyone?" Rose asked softly. "There should be more staff monitoring the equipment."

"Good point," the Doctor agreed as he sniffed the air. "What is that?" he questioned softly. "I think something opened an energy field path here recently."

"But the metalkind crashed on Earth," Rose reminded him. "That means that it must have been that woman who says she's Skye's mother."

"More correctly by the sound of Skye's scan her creator," the Doctor muttered as he pulled Rose forward.

A few moments later the sound of yelling on the other side of the plant sent them both running. They twisted around the sides of the building and Rose kept glancing around for a staircase. She spotted a pair of people dressed in white protective suits who were standing completely still with their heads lowered.

"They're asleep," the Doctor told her quickly as he glanced over them. "That's not a good sign. We need to find that child."

The room opened up ahead forming a large open area with a staircase leading down to it. But standing in the center with Skye in her carrier and the tall blonde woman was Johnny. Rose gasped softly as they approached and she took in the woman properly. She had regal, but stern features and was dressed rather ridiculously in high heeled black boots, tight pants with a long fur edged coat. Nothing about her seemed maternal, in fact, she screamed black widow and was looking Johnny like he was a bug to be squashed.

"You might be flesh, but you are Earth flesh. Just a few evolutionary twists from protozoa," the woman all but growled at Johnny. "Now give me my child!

"Not happening Meyers, not until you tell me what you're going to do with her," Johnny demanded as he kept hold of the carrier protectively.

"Take her home, of course. She's the saviour of my kind," Meyers breathed. "She will be the stuff of legend. Now give her to me!"

"Johnny!" Sarah Jane's voice echoed down the corridor as she, Luke, Clyde, and Rani came rushing around the corner.

"Dad run!" Luke shouted as Sarah Jane used the sonic pen on a panel by Meyers and sent sparks showering over the woman.

Rose and the Doctor began moving towards the staircase as Johnny tried dashing away, but the air in front of him suddenly rippled and the tall metal man was suddenly blocking his way. The metalkind pulled a weapon from a holster on his belt and pointed it towards Johnny. Sarah Jane and the kids backed into the corner of the room with Johnny. Next to her Rose could hear the beeping of the device the Doctor was carrying as he began pressing buttons.

"Come on," he growled as they raced down the metal steps.

"The flesh whelp must be destroyed," the metalkind announced in a rough deep voice.

"No!" Meyers shouted.

"Get back," Sarah Jane ordered as Johnny set the carrier down behind them. "I won't let you hurt this child!"

"She is no child. She is a weapon," the metalkind intoned as he stalked towards them with his weapon at the ready.

"And she is unprimed," Meyers shouted in despair turning on Sarah Jane. "She isn't ready for this. You have doomed us all!"

As the metalkind moved closer and Rose's feet hit the bottom floor, Skye began to cry loudly. Rippling white energy surrounded the carrier and baby making Rose freeze in place. As she watched the energy play around the air, she summoned her sword.

"What's going on?" Rani asked as she moved away from the glowing carrier.

"The weapon is priming itself," Meyers announced with a triumphant smirk. "Your presence has activated it. The doom of the Metalkind comes!"

The energy exploded outward making the carrier and infant vanish. A shimmering ball of white and gold appeared in the air generating a field of energy that pushed Sarah Jane, Johnny and the kids all back while Rose began to creep around the metalkind. The energy field then began to shrink back and within seconds had formed into a small humanoid shape. Light exploded around them and when it faded a young girl about the age of twelve was standing barefoot in a white dress. Her wide brown eyes looked out at all of them from behind messy wavy brown hair.

"Skye?" Sarah Jane asked softly in shock.

Rose looked back towards the Doctor, praying that it wasn't too late. If Skye fully activated it would destroy not only the metalkind, but Skye herself.


	4. Skye: Disarming

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Four: Skye: Disarming

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: This is where the episode really starts to change. This will be a six chapter episode as it is the start of a new season.

….

While the others were all staring at the newly preteen Skye in shock, Rose and Doctor used the time to get down the stairs to the main floor. Meyers had a triumphant smirk on her face and was eyeing Skye with a smirk of pride on her face. The expression made Rose's stomach turn over uncomfortably and she pushed down the urge to punch the woman squarely in her great cheekbones.

"I am too late," the metalkind observed regretfully.

"Face your destruction, Metalkind," Meyers sneered as she looked between the metalkind and Skye. "The child is your doom."

At her words, shimmering energy began to surround Skye and dance across her body once more. The young girl looked down at her own hands in alarm. Sarah Jane pulled Rani and Luke back as Johnny grabbed Clyde's shoulder. The Doctor stepped forward with his device out in front of him and beeping.

"What's happening to me?" Skye asked frantically as the energy around her hands brightened and thickened.

"Destroy him!" Meyers shouted to Skye as she gestured towards the metalkind who made a fast movement towards Skye.

With wide eyes, Skye's body moved awkwardly as her hands pushed forward. Energy spun off her fingertips creating a bolt that shot through the air and struck the metalkind. It flew back and hit the far wall with a crash. In the corner of her eye, Rose saw Meyers glow with pleasure as the metalkind struggled to stand only to slump back against the wall. Energy from Skye was shimmering over its metallic form and seeping into the grooves in his armored body.

"Again, my child!" Myers told Skye urgently.

"No," Sarah Jane shouted to Skye as she reached forward and tentatively placed a hand on Skye's shoulder.

"What am I?" Skye asked in a small voice, looking over at Sarah Jane in confusion.

"It's going to be okay Skye," Johnny promised before glancing towards the Doctor hopefully. "Don't be frightened."

"You are the hammer to crush the Metalkind. You are the weapon and salvation of our species," Meyers told Skye as she took a few small steps towards the girl. "Destroy your enemy," she insisted as she gestured towards the injured metalkind.

"No, Sky. You don't have to destroy anything," Sarah Jane cut in when a conflicted look crossed Skye's face. "You don't have any enemies. Just be calm, and trust me. It's all right."

"Sarah Jane?" Skye asked in a soft voice as she looked at the older woman and was rewarded with a smile.

"Everything's going to be all right, I promise," Sarah Jane assured her.

"Stop your meddling," Meyers growled at Sarah Jane. "Come with me. Return home and fulfil your purpose," she said to Skye urgently.

Energy flashed around Skye when Meyers reached for her and the Doctor's tool beeped again making Rose glance towards it nervously. The Doctor, however, was looking closer to being relieved than worried. Meyers took a fearful step back from Skye.

"I don't think she wants to go with you," Sarah Jane told Meyers seriously as she stepped in front of Skye.

"I am the child's mother!" Meyers snapped raising her chin definitely.

"Well, my name is Sarah Jane Smith, and I don't think you're a fit parent."

"She is a weapon, grown in a laboratory to destroy the enemies of my species. I grew her!" Meyers insisted proudly.

"What does she mean?" Skye asked in a small voice.

"Oh, don't listen to her, Skye," Rani told her as she pulled Skye back closer to them.

Rose glanced to the side to see a human in a white jumpsuit lingering at the edge of the room with a vacant expression. The metalkind was down, but Rose was pretty sure that Meyers had to have some serious alien toys. She'd gotten to Earth very quickly and taken over a nuclear power station. Of course… she'd taken over that man and put the others to sleep standing up. It would only take her a moment to do the same to them.

Before any of the others could react, Rose leapt forward and delivered a sharp temple blow to the side of Meyer's head while inwardly chanting a prayer that they were similar enough for it to be effective. The alien woman was knocked sideways against a wall and slumped to the floor in a heap of flesh and bones.

"Rose!" Sarah Jane scolded with wide eyes.

"She can take us over," Rose defended as she gestured to the man who was swaying on his feet and looked ill. "We can't protect Skye if she does that. Besides did you want to run away and leave the genocidal alien in charge of a nuclear power plant."

Sarah Jane's expression was one of begrudging agreement and Rose glanced towards the Doctor. He looked more amused than anything and she felt her heart do another annoying flip at his easy smile.

"What?" the man began to ask, "What?"

Rose grimaced and began to move towards him, but then thankfully he began to collapse. Jumping forward, Rose caught him and gently laid him out on the floor. She took a moment to check his pulse and breathing before opening one of his eyelids to check his pupils.

"Seems to be alright," Rose told the others with a sigh of relief. "Though he and the others should be checked over by doctors once this is over."

"We can call UNIT once we make sure that Skye is safe," the Doctor assured her.

Skye was looking between Meyers and Rose uneasily and Rose felt a jolt of guilt for being violent in front of the girl. Sure she'd taken Meyers down with one strategic blow, but still. It didn't help that Rani, Luke, and Clyde looked more impressed than distressed. Taking the chance, Rose moved over to the metalkind and carefully pulled the laser gun it had been holding away. She held it awkwardly, but there wasn't really a good place to get rid of it right now.

"Doctor," Sarah Jane greeted finally as she seemed to recover enough to shift behind Skye. "Thank you for coming," she gestured down at Skye with an uneasy expression. "Can you help her?"

The Doctor took a step towards Skye who shifted back nervously to be closer to Sarah Jane and Johnny. He paused and waited calmly as Rose smiled at Skye and moved over to stand next to him.

"Skye this is a very old friend of mine," Sarah Jane informed Skye gently with a soft smile. "He won't hurt you I promise." She looked at the Doctor almost frantically. "Rose told me that she's a weapon," her words made Johnny gasp in alarm and look at Skye in near horror. "Can you do anything?"

"Spock said that it can't be reversed," Rose said softly to Sarah Jane. "It's part of her DNA."

"But if she's a bomb can't we you know defuse her?" Clyde asked which earned him an approving look from the Doctor.

"Well done, Clyde was it?"

"Yes sir," Clyde said straightening up a bit.

"That was the point of this," the Doctor explained as he knelt down in front of Skye with the strange blue box. "It was recording the energy frequency when you transformed. I can't change your genetic structure without hurting you, but thanks to this we don't need to rely on your creator to rewrite your genetics.

"Oh thank goodness," Sarah Jane breathed, her shoulders shaking slightly. "Thank you, Doctor."

The Doctor nodded at Sarah Jane's remark but focused his eyes on Skye. The little girl looked confused and worried but didn't move away from this time. She looked back to Rose who gave her a reassuring smile.

"Skye I'm the Doctor," he told her kindly. "The reason that you grew up so quickly is because you were created with special DNA in order to fulfill genetic programming. Do you understand that?"

"I think so," Skye offered hesitantly. "I have a purpose."

"Of sorts," the Doctor agreed carefully. "But that was only your creation, purpose is something changeable and everyone decides their own." He lifted the strange box up into Skye's line of site. "Now in order to give you that choice I need to check some things. This may sting a bit or be uncomfortable, but I won't hurt you."

"Is she really my mother?" Skye asked softly as she looked over at Meyers.

"No," the Doctor told her seriously as he met her soft brown gaze with his own blue eyes. "She created you Skye, but that doesn't make her your mother. Her plan is to sacrifice you to commit genocide. She made a weapon and tool, not a daughter no matter what she might like to say. She is not your mother and you owe her no loyalty."

"Okay then," Skye agreed carefully. "If you're sure." Skye paused and looked between Sarah Jane and the Doctor. "She said I was a weapon. That's bad, isn't it? You all seem upset," Skye observed uneasily. "Am I bad?"

"No. No way. Miss Myers, she's the bad one, not you," Clyde rushed to reassure Skye.

"What am I, then?" Skye questioned with wide eyes.

"The thing inside you. Miss Myers created you like that to kill her enemies, Metalkind."

"Kill? What's kill?" Skye asked naively and Rose looked over in time to see the Doctor grimace.

"You take away life. It dies. It no longer exists," Sarah Jane explained softly as she looked at the Doctor cautiously.

"And that's bad?" Skye questioned with a tilt of her head.

"You're a child," the Doctor told her gently drawing her attention back to him. "Bringing death is a great responsibility and should never be the first option," he explained. "And as you are a child Skye it is not your responsibility."

"But I was made for it," Skye protested hesitantly.

"All life exists with a simple biological purpose," the Doctor chuckled. "And you'll learn more about that when you're older. Everything else, any other purpose is one you decide upon." The Doctor gestured towards the injured metalkind against the wall. "Is that what you want to do Skye?"

"No," Skye replied immediately, shaking her head so vigorously that her wavy brown hair flew out around her. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Good girl," the Doctor answered with a grin. "Now hold still for me."

Rose wanted to watch as the Doctor took Skye's hand and tugged her a little closer. He set the blue box against her chest and pressed a few of the buttons. Skye shifted uneasily with a distressed expression on her face as the box began to hum. But Rose shifted over and glanced between Meyers and the metalkind. Part of her worried about doing this here, but then again doing it anywhere else raised the chance of mother dearest waking up and doing something very violent.

The sound of metal shifting made Rose look towards the metalkind in surprise as it began to rose. She risked a look back towards Skye who was gradually being surrounded by a new field of energy. The Doctor looked Rose's way towards the metalkind and Rose nodded quickly before moving across the room towards the collapsed alien. She paused and set the weapon she'd taken from the metalkind on top of one of the control systems.

"Have you come to finish the job, Fleshkind?" the metalkind asked as Rose knelt down by him.

"Of course not," Rose informed him as she looked over him carefully, unsure of what was wrong with him. "This isn't my war, I have no interest in harming you." Rose paused and nodded towards Meyers. "That one, on the other hand, made a child into a weapon, I enjoyed knocking her out more than I should have."

The metalkind turned its head and Rose found herself looking at a pair of half-covered eyes. The creature somehow didn't seem quite real to her and she wasn't sure what to say or do.

"The weapon," the metalkind growled after a moment, making an abortive move to get up.

Rose pressed her hand down on its chest, noting the warm and humming sensation that tingled up her hand.

"Don't," Rose cautioned. "The weapon is being disarmed as we speak," she informed him with a smile as she shifted just enough so that the metalkind could see Skye.

The girl in question was surrounded by a flickering energy shield and holding tightly to the Doctor's shoulder with one hand. Her eyes were tightly closed and Skye was biting her lower lip. She didn't appear to be in pain, but her discomfort was clear. Rose could see the Doctor's lips moving though she couldn't hear him. Skye was nodding every few seconds in response to the Doctor and Rose hoped.

"Fleshkind tore the ore from our planet's womb to make their dumb slaves," the metalkind growled as it tried to stand. "They stole our children. We have sworn vengeance on all Fleshkind, on any world."

"Any world?" Rose challenged with a frown, pushing the metalkind back down and shifting so he couldn't see Skye anymore. "That's horrible what they did," Rose agreed with a nod. "You're angry, I get that, but don't you lump my world in with Meyers. We have a lot of problems true, but we don't create children for the purpose of destroying them."

The metalkind made a threatening sound and began to move once again. His actions were no longer sluggish and Rose's eyes widened as it began to stand. Jumping up, Rose stayed between it and Skye and gave it her best attempt at her mother's glare.

"The weapon, Skye, is being disarmed," Rose told him sternly. "You move any closer and you might set her off again."

"Disarmed?" the metalkind growled. "What trickery is this?"

"No trick," Rose informed him seriously before gesturing to Meyers still collapsed on the ground. "I knocked her out myself. We aren't going to let her do this."

"Compassion for the child form of the weapon," the Metalkind muttered, tilting its head so it could see Skye behind Rose.

"That and your kind," Rose answered even as she kept her arm at the ready to summon her sword. "We can't let Meyer kill all of your kind or use a child to do it."

For a moment Rose thought that maybe, just maybe this could be dealt with peaceful, but then a groan behind her made her grimace.

"What are you doing?" Meyer's voice asked in a groggy voice.

Rose turned just enough so she could see the alien woman looking at Skye and the Doctor with a horrified expression. Meyers grabbed onto the wall and began to hoist herself up.

"No! Stop you have no right!"

It was the hum of an energy weapon that made Rose look back sharply at the metalkind. Its weapon was still where she had put it, but part of its right arm was now glowing at the rough metallic grooves that Rose hadn't been sure if they were its skin or armor.

"Protect the child!" Meyers shouted.

Summoning her sword, Rose brought it up just in time to deflect a blast of bright blue energy shooting towards her. It ricocheted off of the Star Knight blade and struck the wall near the metalkind.

"Run!" Rose snapped as she shifted back to put more distance between her and the metalkind.

It blasted her again and Rose deflected the blast with a frantic swipe of the sword. It hit the wall once more leaving a black burn mark.

"Run! Disarm Skye before she goes off again!"

"Rose?!" Sarah Jane cried in alarm.

"Go, we're in the middle of a nuclear power plant!" Rose reminded Sarah Jane sharply. "Disarm Skye! I can take care of myself."

"Rose-" the Doctor started to say before she deflected another blast which hit too close to a piece of machinery for Rose's comfort.

"I'll be fine," Rose promised. "I'll keep it busy. Then we can work on another solution."

Another low growl escaped the metalkind, but Rose heard the others moving away and Meyers protesting the Doctor's attempt to disarm Skye. Rose breathed out slowly and gripped her sword with two hands, really wishing that she'd thought to get her sonic pen back from Sarah Jane.


	5. Skye: War of the Metalkind

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Five: Skye: War of the Metalkind

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: I've ended up giving this episode a different tone. In the original it was very staunchly anti-violence of any kind, but with the Doctor there things are a bit greyer. Given Sarah Jane's history and especially her augment with the Doctor to destroy the Dalek it always seems odd to me for them to have her be so pacifistic in the show. But hey that's probably just because it is a kid's show while this is rewriting it to be more Doctor Whoish. There will be one more chapter for this episode as it is the start of the new series.

….

Rose stared at the metalkind as she listened to the rapid pace of the others retreating behind her. She disliked the knowledge that Meyers was with them, but had faith that the Doctor would protect the others. Rose doubted that whatever toy Meyers had to take over humans would work on the Doctor.

"You are flesh just as the weapon," the metalkind growled.

"Your war is not my concern right now," Rose answered as calmly as she could with her sword at the ready. "I have no desire to harm you, but between a soldier and an innocent child it is not a difficult choice." She raised her chin and eyed the metalkind with an open expression. "Surely you can appreciate that."

It was difficult for Rose to read anything from the metalkind. The structure of its face and body where metal and gave her no indication of what it was thinking or feeling. She'd never seen a cyberman, but based on the stories this was similar in appearance though a dark brown color rather than silver. Rose reminded herself as they stared at each other that it was a living thing, sentient and worried for its own.

"The Doctor is disarming Skye, she won't be a weapon," Rose promised seriously. "Please just wait and then you can verify for yourself. We won't let her be used to destroy you."

"You are flesh," the metalkind repeated. "You will not betray your own."

"Letting an innocent child be killed would be a betrayal far greater," Rose replied sharply before she breathed out slowly. "When was the last time your species tried talking?"

"What?"

"When was the last time you tried to peacefully end this war?" Rose questioned calmly. "Have you ever tried to just stop fighting?"

"We have fought for generations to avenge the destruction of our children."

"And how many children have died thanks to that quest for revenge?" Rose pointed out sadly. "On Earth we have a saying: an eye for an eye and the world goes blind. You may be trying to avenge wrongs, but the fleshkind who did those things are dead and gone. All you and Meyer's fleshkind are doing is torturing your own children now."

The metalkind glared at her and shifted as he fired his weapon. Gritting her teeth, Rose dodged the first blast and flinched as it exploded against the wall behind her and deflected the second blast up to the ceiling. It hit one of the lights causing it to explode in a shower of sparks.

"We are in a nuclear power plant!" Rose snapped. "Do you have any concept of what that means!?"

"Irrelevant," the metalkind intoned seriously. "Destruction of this plant will ensure destruction of the weapon."

With those words the metalkind began to turn towards one of the tanks. Rose had no idea what it was going to do, but a shiver of fear and worry raced up her spine.

…

The Doctor and the others rushed into what looked like a break room with sets of protective coverings hanging on hooks along one wall. There was a refrigerator and a table with chairs. The whole space was dotted with personal effects, but the Doctor ignored all of these when he spun around and picked up Skye. He set the girl on the edge of the table with her feet hanging off. Not losing a moment, he brought his device up equal to Skye's heart and began pressing buttons again.

"We're almost done Skye," the Doctor told her gently. "You alright?"

"It stings a little," Skye admitted softly, rubbing her chest.

"Sorry about that, but it will be over soon and you won't have to worry about being used to hurt anyone."

"That's good," Skye agreed with a small smile before it fell away. "What about Rose?"

"Oh Rose can take care of herself," Clyde offered from across the room as he shut the door once everyone, including Meyers, was inside. "She's a real ace."

"I hurt that metalkind," Skye reminded the Doctor sadly. "I didn't mean to."

"I know," the Doctor answered with a pensive look.

"Will Rose hurt him?"

"She'll avoid it I'm sure," Sarah Jane said. She moved over and put a comforting hand on Skye's shoulder. "Clyde is right, Rose is very good at dealing with the unusual. She'll protect herself and she'll avoid hurting the metalkind if she can."

"If she can?" Skye pressed and an uncomfortable expression crossed the Doctor's face.

"Sometimes Skye even if you don't want to hurt someone or something you need to in order to protect someone else," the Doctor tried to explain. "If they want to harm others or kill other people then sometimes in the process of stopping them you may have to hurt them."

"Isn't that bad?"

"Usually," the Doctor agreed darkly earning him a worried look from Sarah Jane. "But why you do something matters as much as the action itself. Good intentions can help make bad things happen and bad intentions can accidently lead to good things."

"So you can do something bad for a good reason?" Skye clarified with a tilt of her head.

"The universe is a big and complicated place where anything, even that is possible," the Doctor agreed.

"And you destroying the metalkind will save our people," Meyers added with an eager expression.

"Don't," the Doctor warned her with a sharp look her way. "Have you even tried a good way to end this war? Have you sat down to talk about it? Have you considered what happens if you use a child to destroy your enemies?"

"We will be free."

"And monsters before yourselves and the whole galaxy," the Doctor said. "And what will they do with you, someone who is all too happy to throw a child at your war. No Meyers, I don't think you've tried talking enough yet. War hurts, it's meant to hurt so you avoid it and try to end it, but not by ripping open greater wounds."

"Who are you to interfere!?" Meyers demanded as she stormed up to him.

"I'm the Doctor," he answered calmly. The Doctor stood up and turned towards Meyers, setting the device down on the table next to Skye and staying in front of the girl. "And there won't be any genocide today."

"This is survival!" Meyers shouted.

"It always is, once you can convince yourself of that you can justify anything. Even growing a child, trying to ensure its loyalty by playing the part of the mother and then using her to destroy an entire species. Survival is a very good excuse," the Doctor intoned darkly as the temperature in the room began to drop. "But it is just an excuse."

Meyers reached for her necklace with a murderous expression. The Doctor made a move towards her, but the kids were faster with Rani knocking Meyers back into the wall. Clyde held her still for a moment while Luke grabbed at the necklace and with one quick movement broke the clasp and pulled it away.

"Looks like the self-defense lessons with Rose are already paying off," Clyde quipped to Rani with a smug look at the three shifted back.

"Give that back!" Meyers snapped at Luke, shifting her gaze towards him. "You horrifying waste of flesh."

"Don't speak to my son like that," Johnny cautioned Meyers with a dark look of his own.

"You need this don't you?" Luke moved further back and allowed Rani and Clyde to stay guarding Meyers. "Not to control anything, but this is a power source."

"An intelligent flesh then," Meyers conceded. "And yet betraying your own kind."

"It takes more than a similar genetic structure and physical build to be the same kind," Luke intoned seriously before a small smirk appeared on his face. "Honestly the person here most like me is probably Skye. I was made to destroy the world by an alien too." Meyers' lips tightened at the words and Luke shook his head as he handed the odd round pendant to his father. "Yeah, you really aren't as original as you think."

…

Leaping forward, Rose swung her sword up through the gun and braced herself as it sliced through the heavy metallic covering. The weapon sparked and the metalkind dropped it in alarm. Bolts of energy blasted outward and Rose gasped as she jumped away quickly.

The metalkind did not move fast enough and the field of energy surged up his legs. His body convulsed for a moment before the energy vanished and he collapsed back on the ground. Rose stepped carefully towards the unmoving figure as dread settled in her stomach at the idea that she'd killed it. As she looked down at the figure from above him, it suddenly moved and grabbed one of the unfamiliar items from its harness and tossed it towards Rose. Leaping back, she tried to avoid the strange cylinder as it opened with a hiss. Rose sucked in a greedy breath and held it as a strange gas poured out of the object.

It was on its feet and moved past her without looking her way as Rose fell back against the wall. Heavy footfalls echoed down the hallway and Rose staggered after it and to escape the gas. It took her only a moment to realize that the gas was sinking after the initial release. Her chest burned and her eyes watered as Rose grabbed the stair rails and hauled herself up towards the second floor. She only made it halfway before the burning made it impossible to hold her breath any longer and she gasped frantically.

A foul taste hit her tongue and Rose gripped the bars as a wave of dizziness threatened to overwhelm her but forced herself to keep moving. Coughing lightly, Rose tried to force whatever gas she might have inhaled out, following the path of the upper floor in the direction the metalkind had gone. She felt slow and sluggish, but Rose kept putting one foot in front of the other and followed the heavy footfalls of the metalkind. Up ahead she could see another staircase leading down to the main floor and sighed in relief, forcing herself to move faster. She had to find the Doctor and Skye before the metalkind did.

….

"You need to stop this," Meyers shouted. Her eyes fixed on Skye who was squirming as the device beeped. "You'll harm the child."

"I know what I'm doing," the Doctor answered calmly. "And I will not stop so you can use her."

With a snarl Meyers lashed out at Clyde, scratching at the boy's face with her long vicious looking nails. Clyde dodged the attempt calmly and Rani shifted forward to bring her knee up against Meyer's gut. The woman grunted and stumbled back as the teenagers stayed firmly between her and Skye though they made no offensive moves towards her. The Doctor glanced back at them as the device in his hand began beeping at a faster speed.

"Just stop it," Rani snapped to her. "We don't want to hurt you, just stop it."

"You are destroying my life's work!" Meyers shouted back with wide angry eyes. "Stop, I am begging you, just stop." Meyers looked to Skye and her expression softened. "Skye, my precious daughter. Please, don't you want to help us, don't you want to be a hero and save our species."

"Don't listen to her Skye," Sarah Jane said. She kept her hand on Skye's shoulder, earning her a dark look from Meyers. "Peace is the responsibility of adults, not the burden of children."

A field of energy began to surround Skye and for a moment Meyers looked hopefully until the energy turned a soft blue color. Skye moved her hand and watched as the energy flickered and spun off of her fingertips before vanishing into the air. The glow faded away a moment later and a quizzical look appeared on Skye's face.

"I feel, I feel different," Skye announced. Her words earned a smile from the Doctor while Meyers released a cry of despair and sank to the floor.

"Did you get it?" Clyde asked eagerly, turning his attention away from the Doctor.

"He destroyed your genetic programming," Meyers told Skye sadly. She climbed to her feet and moving towards Skye as the others kept a close eye on her.

"You mean, I'm not a weapon?" Skye asked the Doctor eagerly as she jumped off of the table with a wide smile.

"She's not even a peashooter now," Meyers despaired. "I have lost my daughter."

"You never had one," Johnny told her as he wrapped a protective arm around Skye.

"Look out!" Rose shouted from the hallway right before the door to the room burst open and the metalkind came marching into the room.

"The weapon is…" the metalkind looked at Skye and stopped. "Disarmed."

"I told you that," Rose told the metalkind as she came into the room on its heels, panting slightly and half collapsing against the wall. "Now just calm down and-"

The metalkind turned its attention to Meyers who straightened up with flashing eyes. Before anyone could move, it lunged forward and grabbed her. A swirling blue portal began to open around them.

"I saved some energy for you!" the metalkind growled before they both vanished into the portal leaving a stunned room behind.

"Well…" Rose started to say, "That was… unexpected…"

"Rose?" the Doctor asked in worry as her knees began to buckle.

"It got off some kind of gas," Rose admitted with an uneasy laugh. "But I don't think it was trying to kill me."

Her knees gave out and Rose started to fall. Luke caught her right arm and Clyde her right. The Doctor crossed the room in a moment and tilted her head back to look in her eyes. His posture relaxed after a moment and a soft chuckle escaped him even as the boys asked him with worry what was happening.

"Alright Rose," the Doctor chuckled. "Skye you're done. It's Rose's turn now." He led her over to the table and to her surprise, gripped her waist and lifted her up onto the table. "Jeopardy Friendly," he muttered.

"Trouble Magnet," Rose managed to force out with a sleepy smile that made the Doctor grin at her.


	6. Skye: Finding Home

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Six: Skye: Finding Home

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Thank you everyone for your reviews and comments. I'm so glad you enjoyed the first episode of Child of Earth.

….

It was all a bit anti-climatic really for Rose and the others. Once Meyers was gone the Doctor checked on the controls of the nuclear reactor just to make sure that everything was going to be okay while the groggy employees began to wake up. Skye was fawned over by Sarah Jane and Johnny who needed to reassure themselves that she was alright. Rose wondered if they'd figured out where this all was heading. Judging from the soft, but slightly uneasy look on Luke's face he'd figured it out. So had Rani and Clyde, but Sarah Jane and Johnny didn't seem to know yet.

They walked out towards the vehicles quickly with Skye holding tight to Sarah Jane's hand as Johnny and Luke walked along beside them. The little girl paused and looked up at the blue sky with a wide smile. It occurred to Rose suddenly that she was already about twelve years old and had only seen a tiny fragment of the world. Exchanging a look with the Doctor, she found him smiling.

"Good day huh?"

The Doctor gave her a beaming smile in return. His eyes kept going over to the smiling Sarah Jane. Rose held back a chuckle and just gave him a warm smile when he looked back to her.

"So Sarah Jane is your mother?" Skye asked Luke. Her eyes were wide and a bit nervous as she looked up at the older boy. "And Johnny is your father?"

"Yeah Mum adopted me a while ago," Luke explained. "Like I told Meyers, I was made by aliens too. They wanted me to help them take over the world and Mum adopted me after that was over. Then she married Johnny and he became my Dad."

"Does this happen often then?" Skye questioned with a tilt of her head. "Aliens making children to do bad things?"

"Uh I don't really think so," Luke assured her with a small smile. "I was made on Earth, but you weren't and I don't know of any others like us."

"That's good at least," Skye answered with a small nod. "I don't think being made to do bad things is good."

Luke laughed as Sarah Jane looked over at Skye in amusement and beamed at the younger girl. "Yeah it's better not be made for bad things," he agreed. Luke hesitated, but then reached down and ruffled Skye's hair as they reached the car park.

"Rani, Clyde!" Rose called to the others. "You're with me and the Doctor!" She looked over at Sarah Jane and smiled. "We'll meet you back at Bannerman Road."

"Wonderful!" Sarah Jane beamed before she dug into her pocket and retrieved Rose's pen. "Thanks for this," she called. Then Sarah Jane tossed it to Rose before she looked at the Doctor. "I suspect the TARDIS is in my attic."

"Where did you want me to park Sarah?" the Doctor asked easily with a widening smile.

The sound of an alarm inside the power plant made them all jump and Sarah Jane pushed Skye towards the car. Rose glanced towards the Doctor who was grinning manically.

"Come on!" Rose called to Rani and Clyde, "That's our cue!"

As the four of them climbed into her SUV, Rani and Clyde in the back they could see the Chesterton-Smiths and Skye climbing into Sarah Jane's little car.

"They haven't figured it out yet," Clyde said as he buckled up.

"No," Rose agreed. She laughed and started up the car. "Not yet."

She shared an amused glance with the Doctor just before Rani and Clyde began to ask him questions about his latest adventures. Rose listened with a small smile as he described a meteor shower to the pair of eager teenagers and headed for the exit. They made it out just before the barriers slid up and Rose laughed out loud. The Doctor caught her eye once more and it was all Rose could do to keep herself from bursting out into giggles. All things considered, it had been a pretty good day.

…

The trip back to the house thankfully didn't take long and the Doctor seemed quite content to entertain Rani and Clyde. It amazed Rose how good this incarnation was with kids despite the gruffer exterior he embraced. For a moment she felt a twinge of regret that Astra wouldn't be born until his next incarnation, this form would have made a good father too.

She pulled over and parked on the side of the street just beyond the Chesterton-Smith drive and Rani and Clyde scrambled out in their rush to join Luke. The Doctor climbed out but paused by the gate of the drive where he stood watching Sarah Jane interact with her husband, son and the kids with a small smile on his face. Bumping his shoulder, Rose shared a wide smile with him but headed towards the entrance. As she lingered in the entryway she could hear the others following her inside. Just as well, she decided, they didn't need to give the neighbors even more to wonder about.

Moving into the living room, Rose froze and barely held back a gasp of surprise as she found the mysterious Shopkeeper seated in one of the armchairs. He was still in the same paisley tailored suit as before with his kufi complete with its golden tassel on his head. The Shopkeeper merely smiled at her with a tilt of his head, clearly enjoying her surprise.

"A pleasure to see you, Miss Tyler," the Shopkeeper greeted. He stood up from the armchair and offered Rose and small bow.

"What the-" Sarah Jane gasped as she came into the room. "Who are you!"

"This is the Shopkeeper," Rose told her as calmly as she could manage. "The servant of the White Guardian that I told you about." Beside her, the Doctor pulled Sarah Jane back and moved into the living room. "Is he going to be joining us?" Rose asked calmly. She quickly became aware of the startled look she was receiving from the Doctor.

"No this is was a small matter," the Shopkeeper said with a smile. "And the White Guardian has such demands on his time."

"What matter?" the Doctor asked with narrowed eyes. "Why are you here?"

"You brought Skye here didn't you?" Rose said. Understanding dawned on her and she nodded slowly. "To prevent the genocide."

"Ah Skye, my compliments Sarah Jane Smith," the Shopkeeper said pleasantly. The others moved into the room though Rose made sure she stayed closer to him than the others while the Doctor eyed him suspiciously. "Such a perfect name for such a perfect child, young Skye." The Shopkeeper nodded to Rose. "Indeed I brought the child here. Sometimes, things can't be left to chance. Sometimes, a breeze must blow from east to west, not north to south." The Shopkeeper shifted back and began to straighten the bookshelf. He adjusted the placement of one of Sarah Jane's ornaments on the mantel. "Sometimes, a sky should be blue, not laden with clouds. And sometimes, a child must find her way home."

Sarah Jane glanced towards Johnny who was keeping a protective hold on Skye with Luke close to his side. Skye, on the other hand, looked sad and worried. Sarah Jane moved forward and quickly shifted the ornaments back into its original spot as the Shopkeeper looked at Skye.

"I am the servant of the White Guardian. It is my task to put things in the right place," the Shopkeeper said. He looked right at Sarah Jane and shifted the ornament back where he had put it earning a look from her. "And of all the homes in all the universe, I could find none safer for this child than yours Mrs. and Mr. Chesterton-Smith."

"So, have you come back for me?" Skye asked in a soft voice. She stepped away from Johnny with a sad expression.

"Well, that depends on you," the Shopkeeper answered with a gentle smile.

"Can I stay here with you?" Skye pleaded as she turned to look at Johnny, then at Luke and Sarah Jane. "That's what I want."

All three looked a bit stunned and Rose stepped back to stand next to the Doctor. She glanced towards the doorway where Clyde and Rani were watching with curious expressions.

"I wouldn't mind having a sister I suppose," Luke said. He looked over at his parents. Skye grinned at him and looked at Sarah Jane hopefully while Johnny smiled and put his arm around Luke's shoulders.

"Oh, Skye," Sarah Jane breathed as she walked back over to the little girl. "It's only been a day and I feel like I've known you since you were a baby." She grinned widely and nodded. "Yes, this is your home for as long as you want it to be."

The new family of four hugged and Rose risked a look at the Doctor who was looking at Sarah Jane with her husband and kids with soft eyes. Looking back at the Shopkeeper, Rose tried not to smile too widely, but the Shopkeeper winked at her clearly pleased with the events.

"Well then," the Shopkeeper breathed as he straightened his jacket. "I'll inform the White Guardian that the task has been completed." He looked towards the Doctor and gave him a small bow as well. "Shall I give him your regards Doctor?'

"I wasn't aware that a Guardian would be so concerned over something like this," the Doctor said with clear suspicion.

"Ah but everything impacts how the story unfolds," the Shopkeeper replied. "There are reasons for why the Guardians become involved or why they do not become involved," the Shopkeeper said very seriously to the Doctor before his smile returned. The question of the Time War was heavy in the air between the Doctor and the Shopkeeper. "And my lord does keep a close eye on the life of Miss Tyler." The Shopkeeper informed the Doctor with a growing smirk. "You are after all not the only one with an interest in her." The Shopkeeper looked at Rose and gave her a wide friendly smile. "I wish you a wonderful final year on Earth Miss Tyler. I'm sure that you will handle all of your challenges beautifully."

Before the Doctor could respond the Shopkeeper vanished in a flash of white light. Rose sighed and shook her head in amusement. She could feel the Doctor's eyes on her but didn't want to ruin the mood surrounding the Chesterton-Smiths. They recovered from the ominous statement of the Shopkeeper quickly and everyone crowded around Skye for hugs. Avoiding the Doctor's gaze, Rose slipped out of the living room and moved to the stairs. She could hear the heavy footfalls of the Doctor's boots behind her and sighed to herself.

"Bloody guardians," she muttered while stepping into the attic.

"Rose!" The Doctor followed her into the attic with a worried expression. "What-"

"I'm okay, I promise," Rose said. She turned back to him and offered a reassuring smile. "Things are just a little crazy around me. I swear the Guardians have never hurt me."

"I doubt that," the Doctor all but growled, crossing his arms across his chest.

"It's sweet that you're worried," Rose said with a soft chuckle. "But really it's okay."

"Rose the Guardians are-"

"Extremely powerful with their own agendas," Rose finished with a firm nod. "I know Doctor, I didn't say that I liked it, but I can handle it. They've helped me a few times too when I was in over my head when even you couldn't help me." Licking her lips, Rose debated with herself for a moment. "For what it is worth… you're there when they are a lot of the time. I guess it's just you being a bit protective."

"Do you do anything in order?" the Doctor choked out, sounding very uncomfortable.

"As much as I can," Rose answered with a slight shrug. "But honestly Doctor, please try not to worry too much. The Guardians are a pain, but they really do want me to be okay."

"Is everything alright?" Sarah Jane's voice called up the stairs. "Doctor? Rose?"

The journalist appeared in the doorway behind the Doctor with a slight frown on her face. She was looking between the Doctor and Rose with a hint of concern in her eyes. Rose gave her what she hoped was a reassuring smile and looked back towards the Doctor.

"Fine Sarah," the Doctor told Sarah Jane quickly. "Just catching up before I go."

"You could stay for dinner," Sarah Jane offered with a smile. "Johnny called Ian and Barbara, they're on their way down." She grinned almost evilly. "They don't know that they've got a granddaughter yet. It'll be a surprise for them."

"Thanks, Sarah, but no thanks," the Doctor answered uneasily. "Not really my thing."

"I see," Sarah Jane replied trying not to sound disappointed. Then she grinned at him teasingly. "Well, at least you'll attend my wedding."

"Sarah Jane," Rose said giving the woman a sharp look. "Timelines."

"I'm only teasing him a little," Sarah Jane defended. She grinned widely at the Doctor and shook her head fondly. Before the Doctor could react she stepped forward and hugged him, forcing the Doctor to drop his cross arms. "But really thank you, Doctor." A moment later the Doctor brought his arms up and hugged her in return. "I'm so relieved."

"You're welcome Sarah," the Doctor replied a little emotionally.

"Yeah, thanks for coming," Rose agreed. Sarah Jane released the Doctor and he took a step back towards the TARDIS. "I don't think we ever could have convinced Meyers to deactivate Skye. Not with her attitude."

"Probably not," Sarah Jane admitted with a sigh. "I wonder what will happen to her."

"I'm sure I'll find out," the Doctor muttered as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"Heading that way are you?" Rose questioned with a small smile.

"Seems like some outside mediation is overdue between those two planets," the Doctor sighed. "And I have to do something until you graduate."

Sarah Jane laughed and shook her head at him. Stepping forward she leaned up and kissed his cheek quickly before heading back downstairs. The Doctor watched her go with a soft smile and a relaxed stance that made Rose's smile widened.

"She's doing just fine," Rose assured him, tilting her head and sighing again. "And now she has a daughter. Barbara is going to utterly lose it."

"Probably," the Doctor agreed and seemed to be hesitating on something.

"I'm staying for dinner, I'll have my camera at the ready," Rose promised with a grin. "I'll send you a video of the Chestertons' reactions."

"Thanks," the Doctor answered gruffly, but with an obvious tone of amusement.

Rose leaned up to kiss the Doctor's cheek as Sarah Jane had done, but a beep from Spock made the Doctor shift just enough that Rose's lips landed on the corner of his mouth. They both froze in surprise and Rose couldn't help but the note the rougher texture of his lips now. Holding back a blush, Rose pulled back and almost giggled at the stunned look on the Doctor's face and the red beginning to stain his cheeks.

"Take care Doctor," Rose told him as she fought down a silly smile.

"You're the jeopardy friendly one." The Doctor recovered a bit though he was still blushing a little.

"And you're the trouble magnet," Rose countered with a grin. "So stay safe."

The Doctor beamed at her as he stepped into the TARDIS and called back, "I make no promises!"

"That's my line!" Rose laughed as he closed the door. A moment later the TARDIS dematerialized and Rose let out a soft chuckle before turning to Spock. "Okay Spock, time to get some adoption papers and forged records in order."

"As long as I don't have to watch you flirting, your wish is my command."

Chuckling, Rose crossed her arms and held back a smile of contentment. This had been an odd day, but she had a good feeling about the coming year and after that… well, she'd be off in the TARDIS and speeding towards her future.


	7. Black Archives: A Familiar Face

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Seven: Black Archives: A Familiar Face

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Thank you everyone for your reviews and comments. I'm so glad you enjoyed the first episode of Child of Earth. The Black Archive that appears in this episode is based on its first appearance in Enemy of the Bane in the Sarah Jane Adventures. You may recall that I established that the later Day of the Doctor Black Archive was under construction and not in use.

….

Rose Marion Tyler slipped her tongue into the corner of her lips as she gently tapped the tip of the paint brush against the canvas. Humming softly to herself, she carefully slid it along the tiny shape of the water drop, adding to the glowing effect before pulling it back. Outside the sound of rain made her smile and she glanced towards the window and watched a few droplet hit the glass and roll down.

Her tabletop easel was front and centre on her old work table with paint splatter decorating the old wooden table. Muted natural light streamed in through the window and Rose shifted slightly on her stool, leaning into the painting a bit more. Beyond the easel were a couple of baskets with tubes of paint and a jar of brushes. The pallet was a mess of droplets of colour next to her on the table. There were mixed blues, some soft shades of grey and a few mixes of violet and even a red that she'd been playing with.

The flat was quiet and the noises of her neighbours were muted as everyone enjoyed the lazy September Saturday by sleeping in except for Rose. A too large oxford that she'd stolen from the Doctor during one of his past visits hung around her shoulders over a tank top with flecks of paint from various projects on it. She paused and put aside the tiny brush in an old metal cup with paint thinner to pick up a slightly larger one. Taking a smear of rich purple paint on the brush, Rose paused for a moment before sweeping the colour around one of the rain drops on the right side of the painting. She smiled, it added just the right touch and she repeated the movement with a small droplet.

Pausing, Rose took in the painting. It was more refined than she could remember her work being in some time… more settled. The scene was simple really, well to her it was simple. She'd always loved rain, she loved walking in it and dancing in it. She had a marvellous memory of the Sleeping Beauty waltz with a certain Doctor in Prague. This time she'd painted a window with raindrops on it, but imagined it as if it was a window in the TARDIS. Instead of city lights illuminating the drops there was a nebula. The rain drops twisted the soft glow of violet, blue, green and gold. Someday she might have to see if it was possible to take some raindrops through the vortex to a nebula like that.

Rose smiled and using the detail brush made a small change to one of the droplets. It was almost done, her best piece in a few months easily. Rose set aside the brush for a moment and massaged her hands, glancing over the violin case next to her desk. She chuckled to herself, somehow despite all those years of studying math and science, she'd managed to become artistic. Of course inheriting knowledge from other lives hadn't hurt.

She wasn't sure what time it was when her mobile phone range. Rose paused and looked over to her desk. Sighing, she quickly put the brush into the cup of paint thinner and swung around on her stool. Rose crossed the room quickly, her bare feet silent against the floor and scooped up the phone. The caller ID read: UNIT and Rose brought the phone up to her ear.

"This is Tyler," she greeted quickly.

"Tyler," Benton's crisp voice greeted sounding alert but with a definite hint of exhaustion. "Benton here, we have a problem that I need you to come in for."

"What's going on?" Rose asked even as she began to move towards her bedroom, already shrugging off the oxford shirt.

"There has been an attack at one of our secure locations," Benton informed her calmly. "I can't tell you anything more on the phone, but the attempt at theft has… triggered a few things that we are uncertain of how to shut down."

The Black Archives. He didn't have to say anything, Rose knew exactly what was going on, well mostly at least.

"The location in on your side out of London and a car is on its way to pick you up," Benton told her. "Be ready within fifteen minutes."

"Will do," Rose answered sharply, not bothering to remind him that she wasn't required to do any job she didn't want to. "Do you need me to contact him?" she questioned, knowing that Benton would know whom she was referring to.

"No… not yet at least." Benton paused and sighed a little, letting his weariness bleed through. "He's not supposed to know about it."

"I see," Rose said slowly, letting her own distaste for that decision come through.

"That is not my call Rose," Benton defended. "And we shouldn't be discussing it."

"Alright then Benton," Rose agreed. "I'll see you soon.

The call ended and a soft sigh escaped Rose. Shaking her head, she set the phone down and finished pulling off her paint shirt. In a manner of moments, she was dressed in comfortable jeans that were loose enough to let her kick a man in the chin if necessary and an old science t-shirt that Shareen had given to her a couple years back. Her translator was firmly in place behind her ear and she was weaving her hair into a crown braid when her phone chirped again.

Sliding the sonic pen into the braid, Rose pulled on her leather jacket and put her phone into her pocket. She took a deep breath and looked around her flat as her fingers toyed with the TARDIS key around her neck just to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything.

"Okay," she told herself as she strode to the door. "Here we go again."

…..

It was a dark and rainy day beyond the edge of Cambridge and as the car raced along a back road, Rose didn't have much to amuse herself beyond watching the water droplets roll down the windows. Outside was farmland and a few scattered houses that were all still and silent. A yawn escaped Rose and she shook herself, forcing her eyes to scan the landscape once again for their destination. Their car swooped around a bend in the road and up head, Rose caught sight of a large building that looked like a grey brick in the distance.

As they approached, Rose leaned forward and watched out the front window. The Black Archive building was a large grey complex that looked a bit like a prison without windows amongst the rolling fields surrounding it. There were a few outer buildings and a tall fence that surrounded all of it. While Rose could understand the desire to move the collection of artefacts and information to a secret location, she still couldn't get behind the notion of putting it below a major city.

"We're here ma'am," her driver announced. "Just a few more moments to get inside."

Nodding, Rose toyed with the end of her sonic pen, adjusting the settings absentmindedly as their car stopped at the gate. Two soldiers pointed weapons at the car while another pair of soldiers moved to either window. Rose ignored the brief exchange that included her UNIT identification number and made a point of not responding to one of the guards making a surprised noise at her name. Apparently, they'd heard of her.

"Brigadier Benton is waiting inside for Thorn," the tallest of the guards informed them seriously. "Good luck," he added a moment later making Rose pause.

As they headed up towards the main large building, Rose looked it over critically. There was no smoke, no strange lights above it and no creatures running rampant. From the outside, everything looked normal or at least as normal as a military complex in the middle of nowhere could look. The car stopped and Rose climbed out of the car and climbed up the steps to the main door where another pair of guards turned a set of keys at the same time. As Rose raised an eyebrow the doors opened and she spotted Benton waiting in the entry.

"Welcome to the Black Archive," Benton greeted as she walked into the small entryway as the guards eyed her carefully. "The home of everything on Earth that doesn't belong here or as close as we've been able to manage." He informed her as he came to attention. "Thank you for coming down Rose."

"You're welcome," Rose answered calmly as she took a moment to look around. The entry was grey and boring with a pair of security desks and small holes in the walls that she knew allowed troops behind the walls to keep an eye on anyone who came in. "So why am I here?"

"There was an attempted breach at 0300 this morning," Benton informed her, gesturing for her to walk with him. "The security system started to crash and two of our men along the outer wall were killed."

"Did they get inside?"

"They must have though we aren't sure how," Benton admitted as they entered a long grey corridor that hissed slightly around them as the door closed. "Clean room," Benton explained quickly. "Just give it a moment."

Around Rose, the air changed and for a moment she struggled to breathe before everything seemed to go back to normal and the far doors open.

"Sorry about that," Benton apologised quickly with a sheepish look. "It's still better than what they had planned for the vault."

"Oh?"

"Memory wipe technology was being installed," Benton explained. "But with the new concerns about moving the vault… well, I'm not sure that's an issue I'll ever have to deal with."

"I'm still against moving it to London," Rose told him. "Just in case you're wondering."

"You, I and General Lethbridge-Stewart have all filed concerns," Benton assured her with a sigh. "Come on."

Benton led her out of the corridor and into a large room that was completely windows on the far side. The whole room was lined with computers underneath the windows with only one door that was made of heavy strange looking metal.

"This is the overlook," Benton explained in a soft voice. "We avoid putting our people into direct contact with most of the things in here."

"Makes sense," Rose agreed with a nod. "So what exactly happened Benton? Did the intruders get into this area."

"Yes, we're still not sure how " Benton informed her uneasily. "But they managed it somehow." He gestured towards the windows as his whole body tensed up. "Several items in the vault have become active Rose, some of them items that we have no idea how they even work or what they are."

From the overlook position, Rose was able to look down onto the rows of metallic shelves. At first glance, a person might be tricked into thinking everything was calm and well. The shelves were more like filing cabinets with heavy looking casing over many of them. Others had clear doors that allowed her a glimpse of what was inside.

Everything was quiet, but she could see a strange shimmer on the dark stone floors and the occasional flash of light that didn't belong in the air. Several of the heavy metallic units were sparkling and there was a soft vibration in the air that just didn't belong.

"So you want me to what?" Rose questioned. "Go down there and try to shut things do?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that…" Benton replied uneasily. "Uh, ideally I want you to shut things down at a distance."

Rose gave him a doubtful look but refrained on the basis that this wasn't Benton's call. Still, she had a strong feeling that she'd be calling the Doctor before the day was through. This had 'is going to get worse' written all over it.

The sound of someone entering the room made Rose turn back towards the door. An older woman, probably in her late sixties, strode into the room with her eyes locked on the small portable computer in her hands. Long white hair was swept up into a tight bun and a pair of glasses were perched on the edge of her nose. She looked a bit different without her long white lab coat, but Rose recognised the woman instantly.

"Rose Tyler please meet Doctor Elizabeth Shaw, one of our best scientist and until last week a member of the UNIT station on the moon. She was the assistant of the Doctor while he was grounded on Earth for a time." Benton introduced with a smile as he gestured towards the woman far more familiar to Rose than either of them knew.


	8. Black Archives: Best Plan We've Got

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Eight: Black Archives: Best Plan We've Got

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: This is going to be a shorter episode due to the length of the season opener so only one more chapter left. Just a quickly little adventure and it has already changed from what I originally planned. They seem to have a knack for doing that.

….

Rose tried to keep a neutral expression and ignore the flood of memories that the woman's face prompted. She and Doctor Shaw had never met in this life and this was not the woman that she'd met in Snowden while Apep's forces attacked. That woman had been killed in the first wave of attacks. She just had to remember the difference.

"So you're Rose Tyler?" Doctor Shaw asked in the same sharply refined accent that Rose remembered from her other life. "It is a great pleasure to finally meet you."

"You as well Doctor Shaw," Rose agreed as she stretched out her hand.

The older woman shook her hand all the while examining her rather critically. Rose wondered what she saw and hoped that she wasn't showing too much recognition on her face. Benton was glancing between them carefully as if he was nervous about what was going to happen.

"I understand that you are… a future companion to the Doctor," Doctor Shaw remarked carefully. "You have quite the reputation. Several of my colleagues at the moon station had heard very interesting things about you."

"That's one way to put it," Benton chimed in quickly. "I'm sorry Thorn, Doctor Shaw but if you ladies could focus on the problem at hand-"

"Of course Brigadier," Shaw replied with a quick nod. "Come along Tyler," she ordered as she turned and strode across the room to one of the terminals.

Rose glanced at Benton who merely shrugged at her with an odd smile tugging at his lips. Shaking her head, Rose followed Doctor Shaw across the room. The technicians who were watching over the computers looked their way before Shaw sat down in one of the chairs. Looking over her shoulder, Rose scanned over the technology with a small smirk.

It was a bit old school in appearance, large and bulky systems with lots of carefully labelled buttons. The screens were the most modern part of them and as Shaw tapped one of them to bring up some information, Rose smirked at the blend of state of the art and classic 70s that seemed to be going on here.

"So what brought you back to Earth Doctor Shaw?" Rose questioned conversationally as she looked out of the window to check on the archive again.

"Retirement as strange as it seems," Shaw answered with a chuckle. "Years of space living has taken quite a toll on me. Even on the moon with the benefit of the alien technology we've reverse engineered over the years, there is a limit to what we can do against radiation." Shaw hit a few of the larger buttons and through the window, Rose saw a new section suddenly light up as the low lights high above the shelves became much brighter. "Have you been into space Miss Tyler?"

"Call me Rose," she corrected quickly with a smile. "Or Thorn if you feel you must."

"Then please call me Liz," the older woman returned with a soft smile.

"And to answer your question, yes a couple of times. Usually in the TARDIS, but not always. Thankfully it's always been on highly advanced ships."

The computer system beeped and the screen in front of Shaw flashed red for a moment. A layout appeared on the screen that Liz quickly tapped on. Rose remained quiet and watched the screen display a readout of electrical levels and radiation. She frowned, there were electrical spikes occurring in three different places by the looks of the screen and the radiation levels were climbing. It wasn't dangerous yet, but not good.

"Any thoughts?" Rose asked. "Is it possible that when… whoever broke it that they left something to do this on purpose?"

"It's possible I suppose," Liz agreed with a frown. "The environment has certainly become unstable. Your theory that they may have introduced something could be right."

Liz had a serious look on her face as she began tapping at the screen once again. Rose could see the outlines of the shelf and tiny labels, but Liz quickly hit a few more buttons and the picture changed. Now it was similar to an infrared camera feed with different area lighting up.

"Certain items are beginning to turn on, but we have no idea what effect they will have on each other," Liz sighed. "Ignorance is our greatest enemy here."

"And there is no way to shut things down from up here?" Rose questioned seriously as she examined the screen. "Any sort of neutralising agent?"

"No, there have been experiments with a general neutralizer, but nothing that works across the board," Liz replied with a shake of her head. "There were plans to install special safety systems into the new vault when that was still a plan."

"Okay you said that there was no general neutralising agent, but what have you got?"

"There are two experimental neutralizers, but neither works with everything," Liz explained quickly. "And we can't deploy at a distance. The items have to be submerged in the agent."

"And we aren't supposed to go down there," Rose grumbled as she stood up and looked out the window. What appeared to be a tiny lightning storm was forming in one of the aisles and she released a long slow breath. "Great."

"Basically," Liz agreed with a small nod and a tiny smirk. "I dare say that Benton is being a little too optimistic about this."

"Okay new thought," Rose offered as she licked her lips. "How much of the neutralizer do we have? Maybe we could pump it through a hose system. Spray one area, rush in and deactivate the nearby devices, retreat and do the next area."

"A bit crude…" Liz answered thoughtfully. "But it might work, especially if she spray us in the protective suits down as well." The older woman took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes for a moment, looking very tired suddenly. "The problem still is how to shut down some of this unfamiliar technology."

"Well I can't make any promises, but I do have a sonic pen," Rose told her as she pulled out her pen and tossed it in the air before catching it with a smile. "It might do the job. I can't promise any of it will be useable at the end, though."

"Sonic pen?" Liz repeated curiously as she eyed the object in Rose's hand. "Did… did he make that for you?"

"No," Rose chuckled as she examined the pen with a fond smile. "I don't know the whole story, but he got it from a defeated enemy. Some sort of alien nanny on Earth."

"Alien nanny?"

"Like I said, I don't know the whole story," Rose informed her. "I'm under the impression it happens in the future so there are timelines in play."

"I'm beginning to see that what they say about you is true," Liz remarked before she turned back to the screen with a small smile.

Suddenly the screen in front of Liz flashed drawing both of their attentions. Black shapes moved across the camera, blocking out the flux of other colours for a moment. Rose leaned forward with Liz as she replayed the three seconds of footage, but sure enough, something was moving across the screen. With tightly pressed lips, Liz hit another button and drew the camera back to reveal three figures moving through the shelves and around the racks quickly and carefully. They were distinctly humanoid shapes.

"They're still here," Liz gasped in alarm as she turned in her chair. "Brigadier! Sir, you need to see this."

Benton moved over to them in a flash and looked down at the screen with hardening features. Now that Liz had found them, it was easy to keep track of them as they moved through the hot zone. However, within moments, they had shifted out of the active zone and into an unaffected area. Their thermal image vanished.

"They must be wearing clothing that neutralises their heat signatures."

"There isn't anything that can do that to this level," Benton argued before sighing. "At least not man made."

"So not our people," Rose confirmed with a frown of her own.

"No, definitely not," Benton agreed. "Bloody hell," he grumbled before shaking his head and looking out of the windows as if he could glimpse them in the aisles.

But the intruders were staying out of sight and the small observation post couldn't see far enough into the massive space that seemed to stretch forever to give them a clear view. For a moment no one said anything until Rose sighed.

"Well, that's not good, but we still have to deal with the potential chain reaction of these activations."

"Surely it isn't dangerous if they are still here," Liz argued only to get a stern look from both Rose and Benton.

"Depending on who they are, and I'm leaning towards Eclipsed Sun, they may not care. Plenty of organisations who steal alien tech and would be willing to take on UNIT aren't the sort to be concerned about the safety of their men. There is no guarantee that this is harmless. Hell, this might be a suicide mission to damage UNIT."

"Eclipsed Sun," Liz repeated carefully, looking between Rose and Benton. "Sir?'

"You don't need to know Doctor Shaw," Benton replied calmly. "Tyler is right, we have to focus on protecting Earth from danger. Whatever plan you've got to deal with these activations we have to move forward, enemy forces present or not." He glanced out into the storage area once more. "Any chance that you can just oversee the operation from here?"

"I don't think that is the best way to proceed," Liz informed him with a frown. "One it might be difficult to maintain communications around the neutralizer. Two I'm not sure that a soldier would be able to use Miss Tyler's sonic pen properly."

"I was afraid you'd say something like that," Benton muttered before looking at Rose.

"She's right," Rose replied with a shrug. "And if you have to try to communicate what to do when there is only a two-second window it just doesn't work."

"Alright, then I'll send men in with you to keep you safe so you can focus on shutting everything down," Benton promised Liz quickly. "But we can't delay any further."

Rose nodded her understanding even as her stomach tightened uncomfortably in anticipation of the danger and her mind began supplying a summary of everything that could go wrong. After a moment of hesitation, Liz sighed and nodded her understanding to Benton. He nodded to them both and shifted his posture.

"What do you need?"

It didn't take long for Benton to issue the orders for the neutralizer to be made ready. Liz and Rose were escorted out of the small observatory down the stairs to what looked to be a staging room. It was sealed off from the main area, but an ominous metal door on the far side of it with special access panels and another set of guards made it obvious of where they were. Frowning, Rose again wondered how the intruders had even gotten in.

"Miss Tyler," one of the staff called to her as he wheeled in a large barrel. "Doctor Shaw."

"Excellent," Liz said with a nod as another barrel was wheeled in behind this one. "Well better suit up."

Before Rose could say anything, Liz walked over to a large cabinet and back the heavy plastic door to reveal a row of bluish protective suits with white accents. They were bulky and Rose could already tell that size might just be an issue. None the less, she moved over to join Liz and accepted one of the heavy suits. With some help she pulled the protective gear on over her own clothes, making a point of setting the sonic pen to the side and tying up the rest of her hair. She wasn't sure how long it took, but her whole body felt heavy and weighed down once she had everything but the helmet on.

"Stylish," Rose observed sarcastically as Liz kept a hand on her shoulder while a soldier helped her into the large boots.

"Or not," Liz countered, "But since we don't know what we're getting into it's for the best. These suits are designed to stand up against chemical spills, radiation and electrical shocks. They're more advanced than anything currently on the civilian market."

When they were suited up minus their helmets with four soldiers in the same heavy gear, Rose retrieved the sonic pen and frowned at how awkward it was in the gloves. Liz moved over to the barrels and inspected the labels on them before nodding to the soldiers who opened the first barrel. Looking down into the barrel, Rose curled up her nose at the sight of the odd green goo inside of her suit. A terrible sour smell rolled out of the barrel and hit her squarely in the gut. Benton wrinkled up his own nose and the pair of soldiers in the protective suits didn't look impressed.

"Is it acidic?" Rose asked once she could speak again.

"No," Benton answered with a shake of his head. "It's a complex chemical blend, but is completely neutral."

"Hence its use as a general neutralizer," Liz observed before she sighed. "I suspect that the other mixture smells just as bad?"

"Worse," Benton replied. "Now ladies are you sure about this? Apparently, the mix has only been used in small amounts before. We can't really promise that it will help." He paused and looked at Rose. "And are you sure that the sonic pen will work?"

Rose froze and looked down at the neutralizer. In theory, as long as she kept the sonic pen out of the stuff they should be fine, but….

"You aren't," Liz sighed. "Lovely, but this is still our best plan. We can always try to turn things off manually."

"But we're back to not knowing what half of the things in here are," Benton groaned, rubbing at his own eyes. "That's it, I'm going to contact Geneva. We just can't pull this off with a good margin for safety without-"

Before he could even finish the thought a familiar grinding sound began to echo around the room. A laugh escaped Rose and she tugged a stray strand of hair back behind her ear as the wind picked up. One of the soldiers slammed the lid back on the barrel as the smell began to intensify, but Rose barely noticed as she watched the bright blue outline of the TARDIS appear only a few feet away.


	9. Black Archives: Showing Off

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Nine: Black Archives: Showing Off

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Hey everyone I really hope that this chapter is good. I've been really sick with a cold this week so hopefully the medication hasn't thrown me off too much. That and the Eleventh Doctor just has this habit of doing whatever the hell he wants whenever he appears.

….

Rose had only a moment to note the richer blue tone of the TARDIS and the bright little sticker on the door before said door swung open. The Doctor with the soft and bright green eyes and messy dark brown hair stepped out. His jacket had changed since the last time Rose had seen in and had been swapped for a darker one though it still had the familiar elbow patches. A flash of suspenders beneath the jacket and a red bowtie completed the look as he beamed at her.

"Hello darling," he greeted happily, leaning forward and gently cupping her cheek.

He kissed her before Rose could move, a soft kiss that lingered against her lips and sent a shiver down her spine. As the Doctor shifted back, he glanced at her protective suit and snickered, earning him a slight glare from her. But then he turned his attention to Liz who was gaping at them with wide disbelieving eyes.

"Oh come along Doctor Shaw," the Doctor laughed. "Surely everyone in UNIT knows about our relationship. I doubt it is a surprise."

"I'm afraid it is one to me, I assumed those rumours to be only rumours," Liz replied looking a little faint as she studied the Doctor. "You've changed a great deal since I saw you last."

"Yes," the Doctor agreed with a softening smile. "I suppose I have. Regeneration, you can never be sure what you're going to get. Well, Rose is at this point."

"Not really," Rose told him with a laugh. "I've never met any after this body," she informed him before frowning. "Hope that isn't a bad sign."

"Oh just not yet then," the Doctor answered, looking a little excited. "You've dropped hints about my next form, but refuse to tell me anything important."

"Anything important?" Rose repeated uncertainly.

"If I'm ginger," the Doctor told her before chuckling. "Private joke, my past your future. The usual."

"Noted," Rose told him with a small smile before she pulled herself back the issue at hand. "Any chance you have some brilliant way to turn everything off from here?"

"Sorry, but no," the Doctor told her with a shake of his head. "Too many different planets of origin involved." He shook his head fondly. "Why is it always Earth?"

"Could have something to do with the rift in time and space in Cardiff or our metaphysical location on what remains of the Web of Time," Rose offered smugly with a grin as the Doctor looked at her.

"Touché," the Doctor murmured, leaning down and kissing her nose. "You're adorable when you're clever."

"I'm always clever."

"Hence you're always adorable, except when you're brilliant," the Doctor rambled though he leaned over and added in a softer voice. "You're sexy then."

Rose couldn't help but grin and maybe blush a little. This later form of the Doctor always was refreshing in just how open he could be with his emotions. Smiling up at him, Rose was about to say something in return when someone cleared their throat, loudly.

"Doctor," Benton cut in with a stern look at them both which made him come off as more of a disapproving father than anything else. "I appreciate that you enjoy Miss Tyler's company but we do have a situation."

"Of course Benton," the Doctor replied with a grin and gesture of his hand. "Pleasure to see you." He looked around the small staging room and towards the barrel. "And you've already got the neutralizer ready," the Doctor observed as he darted over to the barrel and looked down into it with his nose wrinkling.

"You're aware of the situation?"

"Yep, future Rose brought me up to speed," the Doctor said quickly as he spun back and pointed to Rose. "And you're at a spa before you can ask so don't worry about running into yourself."

"Well thank you for coming to help," Benton said with a small sigh. "I'll inform Geneva that you apparently already know about the Black Archives."

"To be fair I'm a time traveller and nothing stays a secret forever," the Doctor offered with a slightly smug look.

"I'll be sure to point that out," Benton told him drily before he looked towards the doorway into the main archive. "I'm afraid Doctor that we need to deal with the immediate threat. I have ordered more troops and they are patrolling the perimeter of both the compound and this structure." He paused and looked at the Doctor. "I'll send for a suit-"

"Oh I don't need one," the Doctor answered off-handedly.

"Doctor," Benton started to protest but the Doctor calmly held up a hand.

"I assure you, Benton, that nothing in there is going to harm me," the Doctor told them with a firm look at Benton and then at Rose. "The radiation levels are nothing compared to what my physiology is designed to deal with."

"We don't know what else might happen in there Doctor," Benton reminded the Doctor carefully, looking torn.

"All the more reason to have one of us still fully mobile," the Doctor countered with a shrug. 'Trust me I'm a good boy and wear a suit when in hostile environments."

Benton pressed his lips but nodded as Shaw looked uneasily between the two. The Doctor caught her worried expression and gave her a smile before turning his attention back to Rose. Moving over to her, he reached over to one of the adjustment straps and began tightening it. Rose met his green eyes and smiled as the shoulder area of the suit shifted to balance more comfortably.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much," Rose agreed. "You familiar with the design?"

"This style will become dominate in about twenty years," the Doctor explained as he adjusted the other side. "And will be the main source of future designs for another three hundred years. UNIT's design team should be proud."

"I'll pass that on Doctor," Liz told him as she watched the pair of them.

The Doctor finished her adjustments and Liz allowed him to make a few changes to how the bulky suit hung on her slight frame before he moved on to the soldiers. As he checked the printouts and the map of the facility, Liz shifted closer to her with her eyes still jumping between them.

"It's weird," Rose told her. "I know. Sorry about that. This form of him is pretty… open with our relationship. He seems to find everyone's reactions to it entertaining." Rose paused and smiled, "But then again by his regeneration into this form we've been together for a long time."

"I had a hard time believing the rumours," Liz admitted in a soft, but slightly amused voice as she opened a cabinet and pulled out something that looked like a cross between a hose and a water gun. "In part, I suppose because the Doctor I worked with always struck me as someone… outside of romantic relationships. He was a brilliant being and a good friend, but…"

"I get it," Rose laughed with a nod. "And you're certainly not the first friend of his to be stunned by our relationship. I think this incarnation enjoys throwing people off with it."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, long story," Rose added dismissively. "Has Benton not told you about the Companion's Club?" Rose questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Companion's Club?"

"Sarah Jane's going to have words for him," Rose chuckled with a grin. "It's a group of us who used to travel or in my case will travel with the Doctor. We live all over the world and just… you know talk from time to time or get together. It's nice to have people to talk to about what you've seen."

"Since I've stayed with UNIT that hasn't been a problem for me," Liz admitted, but then she smiled. "Still now that I'm retiring back to England it might be interesting."

"Well when we're done here I'll give you some phone numbers, I suspect that you and Ian would get along very well."

"Very well, but first things first," Liz told her as she handed Rose one of the odd hose devices.

Rose adjusted the thing in her hands to get a better look at it while Liz latched it up to a long hose. It reminded her most of the water guns that she and a couple of other kids back on the estate had owned. A long hose connected it to the pressure device that Liz had just added to the barrel. Rose shifted the goo gun in her hands for a moment to familiarise herself with the weight and nodded to Liz.

"The pump will make sure that you have some of the neutralizers to use at all times," Liz explained. "It will beep when the barrel starts to get low."

"We have a route," the Doctor announced as he moved back to them past a trio of soldiers who were suiting up. "Ready?"

"We have what we need Doctor," Liz agreed with a nod.

"Will you take on sonicing?" Rose questioned the Doctor.

"Given that you don't have the best dexterity control in that suit let's say yes."

"Do you have it this time?" Rose teased.

"Course," the Doctor replied sounding offended as he pulled out his bronze and green tipped sonic screwdriver with a grin.

"Alright then."

"Come on Jeopardy Friendly," the Doctor sighed despite the wide smile on his face.

"After you Trouble Magnet," Rose replied as they moved to the main door that led to the storage area.

"Do you always flirt this much?" Liz questioned with a quizzical expression looking torn between near horror and laughter.

"In this body yeah," the Doctor answered calmly as he reached for the door. His wedding band flashed in the low lights and he brought the sonic screwdriver up at the ready. "Helmets!"

Rose lifted the helmet over her head, noting with distaste that the air already smelled stale as it locked into place. She took a few deep breaths just to make sure that the front filtering vents were working properly. The Doctor waited calmly and was watching for any signs of distress. Two of the soldiers stepped up next to him, modified tasers cradled in their arms that the Doctor eyed for a moment. Seeing that everyone was ready the Doctor pressed the button and the doors slid open with a soft hiss.

The storage area seemed far too dark for Rose's taste with the only light shining down from the high ceiling. It was creepy and far too quiet. Every set of shelves, unfortunately, created an ambush point that their enemies could be using. Rose felt sluggish in the protective suit despite knowing that it was a lot lighter than anything else like it. They had to move slowly as she walked along in front of the barrel and one of the soldiers wheeled it along with them. The pair of soldiers marched ahead of them as the Doctor told them which way to go with every turn.

"Do you know who we're dealing with?" Rose questioned the Doctor in a soft voice. "Black Sun or the Eclipse group?"

"It's Eclipse," the Doctor answered calmly as he peered around the shelf before glancing down at the map in his hands.

"Any idea what they're after?" Rose pressed as they walked forward.

"No hints darling," the Doctor chided. "Over here."

They turned and stepped into an odd orange cloud that was billowing through the aisle. For a moment it was almost impossible to see, but Rose kept moving with slow and cautious steps. She heard the hum of the sonic screwdriver and followed the sound. The cloud began to clear a little and she could see a large strange black box on the second shelf that filled much of the space. Small holes had appeared on its side and the orange cloud was spilling out of the holes.

Upon hearing the hum of the sonic screwdriver, Rose stepped closer and steadied the goo gun. Pressing the release value, Rose almost giggled as the slight vibration tickled her arm and side. A steady small stream of the goo began spilling out of the hose and struck the black box. Sparks appeared across the surface of it for a moment and the orange cloud stopped spilling out of it. As the goo dripped down the floor, the Doctor waved a hand to clear some of the orange cloud.

"Weather machine from Altairen III," he announced gesturing to the ceiling. "Missing some parts hence the clouds only, but the chemicals were mixing up in the higher levels with the sparkvaitk a section over and giving you that little lightning storm."

"Well, one down," Liz sighed as the Doctor started walking again and motioned for them to follow.

Three aisles down and ten aisles over they found the next sparking problem. Like the last aisle, this one had several large metallic holding boxes in addition to the more standard wooden crates that were dotted throughout the storage area. Part of one metallic box had fallen open and in the middle of the floor was a small round object with a smooth polished surface. The problem was that it was sparking and throwing off small bolts of lightning that kept striking the metal of the nearby shelves.

The Doctor caught her eye for a moment before he glanced past her towards another set of shelves. Rose felt a jolt of uncertainty but then the Doctor turned the sonic screwdriver towards the object and it flashed green. He nodded and Rose pressed the trigger. More of the goo blast out and spilt over the device and the cement floor.

The sound of rapid footfalls a few shelves away made Rose tense, but she didn't turn her attention away from the small sparking device. As it suddenly stopped and the glow around it faded, Liz scooped it up and set it back into the metallic box. The sonic screwdriver hummed again and a small clicking sound could be heard as the box snapped shut and locked into place.

A taser fired behind her followed by the high pitched whine of some kind of energy weapon. The Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. She felt the hose stretch and glanced back to see Liz detaching both of their units from the pump. Lights flashed as the three soldiers took aim at several shadowy figures across the way.

"Run!" the Doctor breathed, pulling Rose after him with Liz on their heels.


	10. Black Archives: Threat Neutralized

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Ten: Black Archives: Threat Neutralized

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Okay I'm going to give this one another chapter! I just have to write Liz meeting the Chesterton-Smith clan. The next episode will be the shorter one.

….

Running through the Black Archives was exciting and terrifying all at once. Rose knew for instance and before Colonel Adams had freed him that Apep had been locked up in an old container here. All around them were shelves of dangerous and not so dangerous items that one wrong move on their part could set off. She looked over at Liz who was pale and struggling to keep up with her and the Doctor and Rose knew her adrenaline wouldn't last long even with the sound of a firefight behind them.

Then the Doctor pulled them to the side into a small area where a series of shelves formed an enclosed space and stopped to let them catch their breath. Rose glanced around and realised with a start that several nearby boxes were glowing and shaking due to activated devices.

"We still have some neutralizer in the hoses," Liz offered as she panted. "Well done Doctor. We have to finish the job."

The Doctor preened slightly though Rose wondered if he had really led them here on purpose or if it was a lucky accident. None the less she raised the goo gun with Liz and waited as the Doctor opened the boxes.

"Nothing too dangerous here," the Doctor informed them even as he glanced towards the aisle uneasily. "But we don't want to linger."

"Benton will send in more troops once they hear the firefight," Liz offered though in a weaker voice. "Any idea what they are after Doctor?"

"They might not be after anything," the Doctor murmured darkly. "But you'll just have to see how this one plays out."

The comment drew Rose's attention even as she used about half of what was still in the hose tied to her back to neutralise one of the odd little devices. There was a hint of the Oncoming Storm in the Doctor's voice, just enough to tell her that part of him really wanted to go and deal with this now. Which mean that it was probably a time line issue.

"I'll be alright," Rose whispered to him drawing a softer expression to his face as he smiled at her. "We'll stop them."

"Course we will," the Doctor replied with a widening almost dangerous smile.

"But let's focus on stopping them here first yeah?" Rose added with a smile of her own.

"Yes, well next activated device is this way," the Doctor announced as he pointed out the way they'd come towards the right. "Shall we ladies?"

Despite her having the suit on, the Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her beside him with Liz on their heels. She noted with a small smile that he wasn't running as fast as usual. They left the small area and rushed towards the right further into the rows and rows of boxes and odd things. Rose looked to the side and caught a glimpse of a damaged pod of some kind.

The Doctor had clearly memorised the map as he led them straight to the next two items with no hesitation, though Rose was amused by the way he liked to spin and turn. He was a bundle of seemingly endless energy and all she could think was how endearing it was. Finally, he slowed down and began to look around more closely at the objects around them. As he led them into a silent aisle, the Doctor plucked a small box off the shelf and used his sonic screwdriver to open the lock.

"Arktivan radiation sink," the Doctor announced with a smile as he reached into the box and pulled out a small bejewelled sphere and pressed a series of the small gems on it.

"Doctor!" Liz huffed. "We just deactivated numerous devices! Should you really be activating another?"

"Have some faith in me, Liz," he pouted in response making Rose pat his arm affectionately. "This will soak up the remaining radiation," he explained as he moved his fingers over it smoothly. "Just need to set it correctly. Too bad I didn't know UNIT had one of these when Mickey was trapped eh," the Doctor told Rose with a chuckle. "Would have been easier."

"What don't you keep a record of everything UNIT's got?" Rose teased as she watched his nimble fingers press the tiny buttons and control the sequence of flashing lights.

"Can you imagine me doing that much paperwork?" the Doctor questioned in near horror. "I mean that month of grading papers was bad enough. Course I had you to help me with that."

"Really?" Rose laughed with a widening grin before she paused. "Please tell me that I never graded my own papers."

"What? Oh no, I was there for you and took care of your work myself."

"Excuse me?" Liz cut in even as her eyes darted between them. "Is this really the time?"

"A flirt her," the Doctor remarked nodding towards Rose as he straightened his bowtie. "Can't quite help it around me."

"Oi," Rose protested around a smile. "You're the flirt. I've got to worry about timelines with younger you and you've made sure that UNIT and Section 13 know all about us."

"Well, those rumours will have an amusing effect on Big Ears trust me."

"Be nice about him," Rose scolded before smirking. "I happen to like that body."

"You seem to like all of them," the Doctor remarked, though he couldn't hide the pleased look at the thought.

"Well I seem to have an unfortunate weakness for madmen in blue boxes," Rose remarked before she nodded towards the device in the Doctor's hand. "What are you up to?"

"Dealing with the radiation in the archive," the Doctor answered as the device beeped and flashed. "We've deactivated all the current devices that were turned on, but plenty of things here activate in certain radiation levels and we don't want to have to run around to turn off even more," the Doctor pointed out. "Come on Liz, I know what I'm doing."

"I've heard that before," Liz replied, but without any real bite and she said nothing more as the small device began to hiss softly.

"Ah here we go, still state of the art in two galaxies," the Doctor remarked with a glance towards Rose. "Can neutralise programed radiation within a two-mile radius."

"The archive is about two miles," Liz observed as she stepped forward curiously. "You're saying the radiation that was harmful is now gone?"

"Well not gone, it needs about twenty more seconds," the Doctor replied a bit sheepishly.

"Impressive," Liz answered with a nod.

"Careful Liz," Rose chuckled. "Don't make his head any bigger."

"Darling that wounds me," the Doctor huffed.

The device beeped again and all the small jewelled buttons flashed.

"Less than twenty seconds," the Doctor announced.

"So is there really any point to me keeping this on anymore?" Rose asked even as she reached for the heavy collar of the suit.

"No, not really, radiation levels are normal more," the Doctor said with a nod. "You're safe."

Liz gave her a worried look, but Rose reached up and unlocked the helmet with a soft click before removing it. She took a deep breath of the stale air and began to tug off the gloves.

"Rose!" Liz scolded.

"We'll move faster if we aren't weighted down," Rose pointed out with a quick look her way as the Doctor stepped over and helped her unlatch the back of the suit. His fingers brushed against the back of her neck and she shivered as he caressed her skin. "Behave," she whispered to the Doctor.

"Don't want to," he whispered to her. "Missing me yet Darling?"

"I always miss you when you aren't around," Rose replied with a small smile. "But yeah being sorta single again is a bit rough."

"You aren't single," the Doctor reminded her as she shrugged out of the suit and let it fall to the ground. "Definitely not. Very taken."

"Doctor!" Liz called as she cleared her throat, her own suit off and draped carefully over a crate. "Shouldn't we keep moving?"

"Not just yet," the Doctor remarked with a grin as he turned and pointed to a nearby wooden crate.

Frowning Rose studied the box uncertain what had attracted him to it, but then on the corner, she saw the words 'Bad Wolf' scratched into the old wood. She blinked in surprise as the Doctor adjusted the box and slid off the lid to reveal a heavy metal box. The Doctor glanced back at her and chuckled.

"You barely notice it anymore do you?"

"Not really," Rose admitted with a chuckle of her own. "It's just sorta become background I guess. I watch for it sometimes, but I don't notice it all the time anymore."

"It's there," the Doctor promised with a small smile as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "But never be afraid of it Darling," he told her softly as he caught her hand with his free one and kissed it gently.

"I'm not," Rose assured him with a nod.

"Doctor what are you doing?" Liz asked as she looked at him in alarm as he used his sonic screwdriver to open the box. "We finally got the others deactivated-"

"Yes we did, but now we need to go and save the UNIT boys," the Doctor reminded her with a grin. "With the layout of this place and everyone trying not to hit all the dangerous hair dryers around them then the best they've got is a stalemate."

"What is that then?" Rose questioned as the Doctor set the metal box on the floor with a soft huff.

"A different sort of neutralizer," the Doctor remarked with a nod towards their discharged goo guns. "Come on ladies, we've got a bit to go."

He glanced her way as he hefted up the strange box and marched forward. Rose exchanged a look with Liz and followed him as they headed towards the sounds of shooting and firing weapons. Shifting uneasily, Rose looked towards the Doctor, but he didn't seem very bothered by the sounds of the weapons.

Then they were almost on top of the enemy forces. Rose could see figures in black navigating around a series of shelves and firing towards the soldiers in the heavy blue suits. The Doctor stopped and gestured her and Liz back into one of the aisles. The Doctor glanced her way before he shoved the metal into the main aisle. It beeped loudly and began to rattle as the Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at it. Rose stayed back with Liz as the device beeped again before it suddenly began to unfold itself with the metal sides dropping to the ground and revealing another layer that shifted itself around. The sonic screwdriver hummed once more and then the whole box rolled onto its side and shifted in shape, forming a cone-like thing pointed down the aisle.

Rose slammed her eyes shut as the flash of light rippled across the room and split into a variety of colours. She could still see the light dancing against her eyelids and felt an uncomfortable rattle in her bones. Then everything went quiet for a moment before the sound of several bodies hitting the floor echoed in the massive archive. As the light dimmed, Rose opened her eyes and stepped out into the aisle with the Doctor and looked down towards where the fighting had been.

"Did you have to knock out UNIT as well?" Liz asked sternly as she began to move past them.

"No choice," the Doctor answered with a soft sigh. "But they are all just unconscious, not hurt and it stopped the firefight."

Moving forward, Rose avoided the fallen enemies and moved over the UNIT men. One of them had a bleeding shoulder and slumped behind a shelf, but they all seemed to be breathing beneath the protective suits.

"They're alive Doctor," Rose called over to him as she adjusted the injured soldier and shifted the other two so they weren't fallen on their firearms.

"Good, at least there's that," the Doctor breathed before looking around. "Come on Benton, you should be here by now."

As if summoned by the Doctor a group of soldiers dressed in the protective suits rushed around the corner and ran towards them. The Doctor gave a cocky smirk and nodded to them as the first man knelt to check one of the enemy agents. He reached over and grabbed Rose's hand, pulling her back as Benton's men took the firearms and began to secure the prisoners. Rose leaned closer to the Doctor and silently watched as the humans began to slowly wake up. Liz was staying near the UNIT boys and helping one of the medical techs with tending to the wounded.

The Doctor was completely still as the UNIT soldiers ordered the unknown assailants to their knees. All of them were still wearing their heavy masks though one of them had shifted and was askew enough that Rose could see his brown eyes and a long scar beneath his eye clearly.

"Remember that they-" Rose started to say when one of them suddenly collapsed with his body shaking.

"What the?!" Liz gasped in alarm just before the Doctor reached over and drew them both back.

"Have suicide capsules," Rose finished weakly as the others all began to collapse.

One of the UNIT soldiers knelt down and pulled back the mask which just revealed a smug face with drool dribbling out the side of his mouth. None of them said anything and Rose leaned against the Doctor as a feeling of defeat settled on her shoulders. An arm came up around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. The Doctor kissed her forehead.

"Nothing you could have done," he whispered to her.

"That's… disturbing," Liz muttered making them both look at her as she was staring at one of the corpses. "They are loyal enough to die if captured."

"They did that at Torchwood too," Rose offered weakly as the Doctor cradled her closer. "I was hoping that since they weren't trying to get a living alien that maybe…."

"You'll stop them," the Doctor promised her in a low voice. "I promise."

"I'll hold you to that," Rose replied. "After all, I can't go off to the see the universe with you if there's unfinished business on Earth."

The Doctor chuckled and Rose looked up at him to meet his bright green eyes. His smile was warm and gentle and Rose relaxed. As the soldiers began to lay out the bodies in a more organised fashion, the Doctor pulled Rose further away from them and motioned for Liz to follow. Rose shifted away from the Doctor, but let him keep a hold of her hand. Benton looked their way and nodded to the Doctor, but made no move to stop them as the Doctor led them away from the bodies.

The walk back to the staging room took a while and Rose didn't feel much like talking. The Doctor, however, kept a tight hold of her hand and managed to start Liz talking a bit about the UNIT Moon Base. As the door to the staging area slid open and they stepped inside, Liz moved towards the TARDIS. She touched it lightly and then shook her head as she turned back towards the Doctor.

"You've changed," Liz observed. "And yet you haven't changed at all."

"He's the Doctor," Rose explained with a shrug. "Core stays the same even if other things change."

The Doctor smiled easily and put an arm around Rose's waist pulling her close.

"What would your wife think?" Rose scolded lightly as she looked up at him, ignoring Liz's little gasp.

"Thankfully Darling you've never had the problem of getting jealous of yourself."

"Just as well," Rose chuckled and she was about to say more when the door opened again and Benton strode in, rubbing his eyes.

"You okay?" Rose asked him with a slight frown.

"Yeah, just not looking forward to the reports on this one," Benton sighed as he moved over to them. "Well I suppose it's just as well that this archive wasn't built TARDIS-proof," Benton observed as he patted the side of the TARDIS with a chuckle. "Might be the last straw to convincing Geneva that moving it to London would be a mistake."

"Yes putting a collection of dangerous artefacts directly below on of the largest cities on the planet, not the best idea," the Doctor agreed before he tilted his head thoughtfully. "Of course the matrix and vaults were directly below the citadel on Gallifrey, but then again that didn't end well either."

Rose looked up at the Doctor as she tried to hide her surprise at his casual mention of Gallifrey. He caught her look and smiled as his green eyes shown slightly. She wasn't sure what had changed for him beyond time, but something was definitely different. And that wasn't a bad thing. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry about it," he told her. "Timelines."

"It's still odd to see you in a romantic relationship," Liz admitted with a smile as she glanced towards the TARDIS. "I suppose once I finally accepted that you were an alien it just seemed… I don't know."

"It's surprising a lot of people," the Doctor told her with a grin.

"And he enjoys watching it surprise people in this incarnation," Rose added with a soft chuckle. "Gets a kick out of advertising it to UNIT."

"I do not-"

"Oh you so do," Rose countered, cutting him off with a laugh. "They wouldn't even know about it if you didn't keep flaunting it whenever we're around UNIT."

"Benton and Alistair found out at your wedding," the Doctor reminded her.

"Yes, and the General had to repay me the grand I lost on our original bet since I had money on the pair of you," Benton remarked with a chuckle earning a glare from Rose. "But we didn't spread it around," he added quickly.

"There were plenty of rumours beforehand," the Doctor argued with a small pout.

Liz laughed drawing their attention and she shook her head. Benton chuckled and smirked slightly, looking their direction fondly. Shaking his head, the Doctor shifted towards Liz and opened his arms with a grin. She hesitated for only a moment before she stepped forward into the embrace.

"Don't gossip too much with the other companions," the Doctor instructed Liz in far too serious a voice which made her laugh. "I mean it, Liz, you'll never meet a worse group of gossips."

"And I'm quite certain that you and Rose are their favourite topic," she remarked as the Doctor released her from the hug.

"You'd be right on that one," the Doctor sighed. "Well then ladies, I'll be off." He turned to Benton and extended his hand, shaking the Brigadier's hand with a smile. "Take care, Benton."

"You as well Doctor," Benton replied with a smile. "And we'll try to keep Rose safe."

"Thanks for that, but she does a pretty good job on her own," the Doctor admitted before turning to her with a wide smile. "Until next time Darling."

"Until next time Doctor," Rose returned with a faint blush as she kissed him quickly, keenly aware of Benton and Liz watching.

The Doctor wasn't having it and tugged her against him, sealing their lips together very firmly. Around Rose, the world went a bit fuzzy and she forgot about their audience until a nervous cough pulled her back to reality. Liz was blushing and Benton was looking up at the ceiling.

"Be careful Darling," the Doctor whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek. "I love you, Rose Tyler," he said too softly for the others to hear.

Then he stepped away and opened the TARDIS door with a wide smile. As the door closed a chuckle from Benton echoed in the small room and filled Rose with a hint of dread.

"Oh please don't tell Alistair," Rose groaned softly.

"We'll see," Benton replied neutrally.

"So you call him Alistair?" Liz questioned with a chuckle as the TARDIS vanished. "Even I still only call him General."

"It's recent," Rose offered with a shrug. "But as he said I'm the significant other of pretty much his best friend so… it's Alistair."

"Well, I suppose we at least know what the name of your first son will be," Liz laughed and Rose paused, not quite able to correct her. She had no idea if they'd ever have a son, but with Athena and Astra another A name might not be too much of a stretch.

"Maybe," she muttered with a weak shrug before straightening up. "So… any interest in a quick trip up to Cambridge for dinner?"


	11. Black Archives: Club Expands

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Eleven: Black Archives: Club Expands

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Quick reminder, if you enjoy my fanfiction please consider supporting me through my original work as well: The Iron Soul series by J.M. Briggs. Thank you.

….

Liz climbed out of the UNIT car first and eyed the Chesterton house with a certain air of worry that Rose found a touch amusing. Rose climbed out and waited calmly on the pavement next to her until Liz turned around and asked the driver to take her bags to a nearby hotel. He nodded and a moment later the car was pulling away leaving the two women standing near Sarah Jane's mint green Nissan Figaro.

"Do they know I'm coming?" Liz asked, sounding confident, but Rose thought she detected a hint of worry in the older woman's voice.

"I texted Barbara," Rose assured her. "It'll be fine even if she hasn't checked her phone."

"Rose!" a high pitch voice all but squealed and Rose looked towards the door as a blur of blue and brown came towards her.

The next moment she knocked back a couple of steps as Skye collided with her and wrapped her long arms around her waist. Rose thought the physical twelve-year-old had already gained another inch since she last saw her. She could certainly see Rani's influence in the jewel tone loose tunic shirt the girl was wearing, but it suited her.

"How are you Bright Spark?" Rose asked warmly as she wrapped the pre-teen in a hug.

"Wonderful!" Skye answered happily as she bounced out of Rose's arms and caught her hand. "School is so much fun! There's just so much to learn! Earth is really incredible Rose, there's just so much going on all the time!"

"I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying it," Rose remarked with a chuckle as she looked towards Liz who looked surprised but amused. "Liz this is Skye Chesterton-Smith," Rose introduced with a grin as she set a hand on Skye's head fondly. "She's Sarah Jane and Johnny's daughter, her grandparents live here," she explained with a nod towards the house.

"Hi there," Sky greeted cheerfully as she looked at Liz. "Nana said you were coming. Did you really know the Doctor? Which one? What was he like then? What was your favourite adventure?"

"Skye, calm down sweetie," Rose laughed as she tugged the girl a little further away from Liz. "Sorry about that. She's still in the 'I want to know everything' phase."

"This is an amazing planet," Skye insisted as she twisted to look up at Rose. "It's so pretty and there is so much to learn."

"Oh the teachers have got to be loving you," Rose chuckled as she gestured towards the door. "Come on let's get inside."

"Uh is she not human?" Liz asked in a low voice as they walked up to the front door as she eyed Skye.

"I was grown on the Fleshkind planet," Skye explained as if that was all Liz needed to know. "But I was a bomb until the Doctor defused me. Mum and Dad adopted me. I like Earth much better, especially after rainstorms. It smells so nice."

The door was standing open for them and Sarah Jane was waiting with a wide smile on her face, clearly holding back a laugh.

"You get the rainstorm thing from your godmother," Sarah Jane laughed as she looked at Rose. "Suppose you could have gotten worse things."

"Godmother?" Liz repeated and Rose just shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm Luke and Skye's godmother, though Barbara and Ian would take the kids if anything actually happened. Alistair is their godfather."

"Please come inside," Sarah Jane greeted, pulling her daughter inside to make way for them. "Don't let Skye scare you off."

As they stepped inside, Sarah Jane closed the door behind them and held onto Skye's shoulders. Rose smiled warmly at the pair, leaning forward to get a quick one armed hug from Sarah Jane without crushing Skye.

"Doctor Liz Shaw this is Sarah Jane Chesterton-Smith, she travelled with the Doctor you knew at UNIT and his next incarnation."

"A great pleasure to meet you," Sarah Jane greeted with a warm smile and a handshake. "I heard a bit about you from UNIT Doctor Shaw."

"Just Liz please," Liz told her quickly with a chuckle as the others joined them in the entry.

"This is Johnny Chesterton-Smith," Rose introduced with a smile as Johnny stood up from his seat. "And his parents Professors Ian and Barbara Chesterton."

"Very nice to meet you, Liz," Ian announced as he moved across the room and shook her hand. "Welcome to our home."

"I was a bit surprised by Rose's invitation," Liz admitted. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Of course not," Barbara assured her with a smile. "We originally had companion dinners with Rose on Sundays and later added Sarah Jane to the mix."

"And whoever else happens to be the country at the time," Ian added. "We only switched to Saturdays because of the children," he explained with a nod to Luke and Skye. "It's too long a drive between London and Cambridge on a school night. Talking of which I know you've met Skye, but this is our grandson Luke."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Doctor Shaw," Luke greeted politely as he shook the older woman's hand. "I hope your first encounter with Rose wasn't too traumatic."

"Watch it, Luke," Rose chided though she couldn't help but smile a little as she hugged the teenager.

"Uh no not comparatively I suppose," Liz admitted sounding a touch overwhelmed. "Though… Rose and the Doctor-"

"Oh, what did he do this time?" Barbara asked with sparkling eyes. "And which one was it?"

"From the funeral," Rose provided as she hung up her own coat and reached for Liz's. "The flirty one."

"Ah the one that didn't even bother to remove his wedding ring," Ian observed with a smirk.

"So he and Rose are really a couple?" Liz laughed. "I half thought he was just playing a joke on me."

"Yeah sorry about that," Rose apologised though she still smiled a bit. "In that body he sort of likes to show off our relationship. Bit of a pain sometimes and could mean trouble with the timelines in the future, but he enjoys it."

"I'm sorry I don't understand."

"It's temporally complex," Ian offered as he escorted Liz into the living room. "Rose and he are out of synch with each other. She's dating one incarnation of him, will be married to the incarnation you met today but will start travelling with an even earlier incarnation of him."

"Some tea Liz?" Barbara asked from the doorway into the kitchen. "Or something stronger?"

"Uh tea would be lovely," Liz answered as she sank onto the sofa.

"Everything go alright today?" Ian questioned as he looked towards Rose. "You're alright?"

"I'm fine," Rose assured him as she sat down on the loveseat and Skye jumped up to sit next to her. "It didn't end too well and the Eclipse group is definitely going to be a problem for me before I leave."

"Before you leave?"

"I'm scheduled to leave Earth after I finish uni," Rose explained with a shrug. "The Doctor, an earlier incarnation than the one you met today, is supposed to pick me up so I can travel with him." She held up the chain with her TARDIS key. "He asked me to come with him a couple of years ago, but I delayed it."

"It's rather hard to believe that you risked the chance to travel in space," Liz observed.

"Well I worked really hard to get into Cambridge," Rose explained with a laugh. "You can't tell from my accent anymore, long story," she added cutting Liz off, "But I wasn't exactly born into a Cambridge family. I knew I'd regret it and was pretty confident he'd come back for me when the time was right."

"I suppose that's fair given what I witnessed today," Liz remarked with a small smile while Rose groaned and the others looked much more interested.

"Dare I ask what he did today?" Ian asked with a chuckle.

"Well, I never expected to witness the Doctor… snogging someone like that," Liz admitted with a faint blush.

"We understand," Barbara laughed brightly as she handed Sarah Jane her cup of tea. "We knew him in his first life soon after he left Gallifrey with Susan-"

"Susan?"

"His granddaughter from his first marriage," Rose supplied calmly. "And before you ask, yes I know a bit about his first wife, not that he has any fond memories of her. Relationships on Gallifrey were arranged affairs and fairly… detached."

"I see," Liz said slowly. "I suppose then I can't believe you don't know what you're getting into."

"I had that concern," Ian admitted to Liz. "But Rose probably knows far more about the Doctor now despite not travelling with him then the rest of us."

Rose shifted in her chair, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the way they were gossiping about her. The Doctor was absolutely right about the lot of them on that front. As much as they loved hearing about the adventures there was always a strange glee that emerged when they were talking about her relationship with the Doctor. Liz gave her a slightly sympathetic look in the corner of her eye.

"Maybe," Rose agreed with a small shrug. "Well probably yes, but there are things he just doesn't talk about."

"Ian and I travelled with him for years and he never mentioned Susan's grandmother," Barbara pointed out with a smirk.

"He's never mentioned her by name," Rose replied. "But anyway Liz just retired from the UNIT Moon base, we should be asking about that don't you think."

"Ian, get your laptop," Barbara suggested, talking over Rose. "It's not so late that some of the others won't be available for a web call."

"Of course dear," Ian agreed as he stood up and kissed Barbara's cheek. Under other circumstances, Rose might have enjoyed it and the disgusted face that Skye made while Sarah Jane and Johnny smiled.

"Seriously?" Rose pressed before turning to Liz. "So Liz what is your favourite adventure? The Autons? I read the file about that, your first job with UNIT wasn't it?"

"Yes," Liz agreed, but she was glancing at the door that Ian just vanished through. "It was, I thought the General was a bit mad, to be honest at first. I irritated him a bit when I gave the Doctor back his key to the TARDIS."

"Really? He was trying to leave Earth?" Rose questioned, straightening up in interest. "He's never shared that bit before?"

Then sadly Ian returned with the laptop and set it on the coffee table. There were already a couple of screens popping up. A sleepy looking Jo, Ace in a suit with her hair up in a bun and Mel with a steaming cup of coffee in her hands and all of them were looking curiously through the screen.

"Hello ladies," Ian greeted pleasantly. "I know this isn't our regular call time, but Rose brought a new companion to visit."

"Uh hello," Liz greeted a touch nervously. "I'm Doctor Elizabeth Shaw."

"Oh my goodness," Jo beamed. "I'm Jo Jones, formerly Jo Grant! It is a pleasure to meet you, darling."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Jones," Liz replied.

"I'm Dorothy McShane," Ace introduced with a smile and wave. "You can call me Ace, the Professor always did."

"And I'm Melanie Bush," Mel added with a wave and a giggle. "Just call me Mel."

"Nice to meet you both."

"Sorry the call is so small," Jo told her with a grin. "There's several more of us, but we're scattered across the globe." She beamed at the camera. "A great global society bound together by one man. Did you see him today? Is that how you meet our Rose?"

"Yes I saw him today with Rose as a matter of fact."

"Which body?" Ace questioned.

"The flirt from the funeral," Sarah Jane offered with a laugh at Rose's expression.

"Oh!" Mel gasped as her eyes widened. "Did he flirt with Rose in front of you?"

"Mel!" Ace called. "No!"

"Oh come on then Liz," Jo laughed. "Tell us all the details!"

"Jo!" Ace snapped with a shudder. "Some of us don't enjoy hearing the details of our father figure snogging a friend of ours."

"Oh deal with it Ace," Mel called back. "So what happened Liz?"

"Well…" Liz looked more than a little stunned but laughed. "He definitely flirted with her, called her Darling and they joked him his wife."

Standing up from her seat, Rose gulped down the last of her tea and strode across the room and down the corridor. She already felt cooler and could feel the blush beginning to fade from her cheeks as she moved past the dining room and into the kitchen. Leaning against the counter, Rose gave herself a moment to smile and catch her breath. She loved her and the Doctor's friends, she absolutely did, but they were a bit much sometimes.

The kitchen was nice and quiet and Rose took a deep breath, trying not to laugh. She could smell the roast that was in the oven and smelling lovely and looked around to see if there was anything she could help with while the others gossiped. Rose could hear their slightly muffled voices and heard a squeal that could have only come from Mel. Smiling slightly, she shook her head and reached up to one of the cupboards for a glass so she could get some water. There was a loud giggle that she recognised as Jo that was suddenly louder as the door opened. She turned to find Luke lingering in the doorway with his hands in his pockets.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Rose laughed, "Just a bit embarrassed."

"They mean well," Luke assured her.

"Oh, I know that sweetie," Rose assured him with a smile. "Think of it like the embarrassment you feel when your Mum talks about how clever you are." Luke blushed a little and Rose knew he understood. "Hey," Rose called to Luke softly. "How are you doing? With Skye?"

"It's been an adjustment," Luke admitted in a low voice as he glanced towards the door. "But she's sweet and curious. And it's not so bad being a big brother," he told her with a small smile. "Even if sharing Mum and Dad is still weird."

"I bet," Rose agreed with a smile. "But your Mum loves you like crazy Luke. You brought such new life to her. You were a turning point for her and Skye doesn't change that."

"I know," Luke answered with a small smile. "Clyde and Rani are both only children so they can't really give me advice on this one."

"Don't worry about it too much, Skye is bright and sweet. You two will find some shared interests soon. That'll help."

"Yes it will," Barbara announced as she strode into the room with a smile. She checked the oven and nodded to herself before handing a stack of plates to Luke. "Rose is right Luke. I have no doubt that with a little time you'll be very grateful for your little sister. I was always a bit sad that we never managed to have another child, but given the mutations we underwent we were lucky just to get your father."

"Yes Gran," he agreed with a quick nod.

"And Rose, we're done with the initial torture," Barbara informed her. "And Liz is looking a touch overwhelmed."

"Alright alright, I'll go back in," Rose chuckled as she winked at Luke. "The things we put up with."

"We are hardly the greatest difficulty of your life," Barbara scoffed earning a grin from Rose.

"Oh I don't know Barbara, you might be surprised. Alien threats are easy, but the Companion Club is more than a little intimidating."

Before Barbara could throw anything at her, Rose ducked out of the kitchen and returned to the living room. Liz was looking at the screen of Ian's computer with a forced smile, looking more than a little overwhelmed. In a moment of pity, Rose sat down on the sofa next to her and smiled at the associated video windows of some of the other companions. It immediately had the desired effect and everyone turned their focus and questions on Rose. In the corner of her eye, she saw Liz give her a grateful smile before the woman chuckled warmly and settled in to listen to Rose being interrogated. Again.

….Next Time…

"Go your butt to London," Sharon ordered around a happy laugh. "This medical student doesn't have to work tonight or tomorrow!"

"Oh do we have plans then?" Rose asked affectionately.

"You got engaged," Sharon reminded her and Rose smiled to herself. "And we have yet to celebrate it! I don't want the universe to think I'm a terrible mate!"


	12. Reason to Celebrate: Girlfriends

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twelve: Reason to Celebrate: Girlfriends

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

Setting down her school bag, Rose sighed in relief and rolled her shoulder. She pulled out her laptop and returned it to her desk, lamenting that she couldn't just use a smaller laptop or one of those tablet things that the Doctor had mentioned would be around in a couple of years. As she stepped away from her desk, the ring on her hand caught a beam of sunlight and glittered catching Rose's eye.

Rose stopped and studied the ring on her finger with a small smile. The round cut gem shimmered in the light casting off different shades of purple, blue and gold. To a casual observer, it might appear to be a strange sapphire or an artificial stone, but Rose knew it was a Fire Heart Stone from the planet Plesadius. The Eleventh Doctor had given it to her when she was only sixteen, officially to let him find her and protect her, but now….

Chuckling, Rose fought back a silly grin. Now she had to question his choice of a ring. A small pendant or bracelet would have worked just as well. He could have sent her a TARDIS key and locked onto that. Instead, it was a ring and now Rose found herself rather fancying it as her engagement ring. It certainly would fit that incarnation of the Doctor to give her a ring before even stealing her first kiss. Ever since her fusion with her other life purple had become her favourite colour and there was something rather poetic about a Fire Heart Stone.

The ringing of her phone distracted Rose from her ring and she crossed the room back to her bag. Pulling out her superphone, Rose glanced at the number and grinned as Sharon's name popped up. She brought the phone up to her ear and cheerfully answered it.

"Go your butt to London," Sharon ordered around a happy laugh. "This medical student doesn't have to work tonight or tomorrow!"

"Oh do we have plans then?" Rose asked affectionately.

"You got engaged," Sharon reminded her and Rose smiled to herself. "And we have yet to celebrate it! I don't want the universe to think I'm a terrible mate!"

"You're a wonderful mate, you just have no social life thanks to medical school," Rose teased even as she stood up and walked towards her room. "Dare I ask what we'll be getting up to?"

"We're going dancing, got to enjoy your last bit of freedom."

"Honestly Sharon so I'm engaged to the Doctor, we aren't going to be getting married tomorrow. It could be decades before our timelines realign."

"I'm confident that pretty boy is going to be making good on that proposal as soon as you return from Neverland in the future."

"Still could be decades away."

There was the sound of the phone being wrestled away from Sharon and Rose smirked just before Shareen's voice came on the line.

"Rose just grab a dress, some shoes and makeup and come down to our flat. We'll get ready and go have some fun together. This is the first weekend in months that Sharon and I have had off from the teaching hospitals at the same time so get down here."

"Alright, alright," Rose laughed as she looked into her closest. "Pity I don't have the wardrobe."

"Do you still have the metallic dress we made you buy last summer?" Shareen questioned.

"Yeah."

"Bring that."

The call ended and Rose looked down at her phone with a small huff, but it lacked any real annoyance. She couldn't help but smile as she headed for her bedroom. Her friends certainly had a point. As proud of them and their pursuit of medical professions she was their studies took up a lot of their time. And with her travels with the Doctor approaching fast, Rose really couldn't think of anything better than going back to London and having some fun with her mates.

Then she opened her closet and found the dress in question. Her smile became a little forced as she eyed the silky gold dress that she was now expected to wear.

….

The dress was shorter than she remembered and the strappy gold shoes that Shareen lent her made her legs look really long. Sharon had curled her long hair, increasing the soft little natural waves to a bloody cascade and then refusing to let Rose put it up. She'd even done more than her usual light makeup and done up her nails, letting the warm company of her best mates talk her into more than she usually bothered with.

Rose kept resisting the urge to tug the black hem down, but on the other hand, the looks she was getting were a bit exciting. She rarely let herself enjoy more than a casual flirt, but the attention was nice. When a girl had the Doctor, really had the Doctor, she didn't date much or at all. As she moved in the heels, Rose felt her body adjusting much more comfortable to them than she remembered. It surprised her given how rarely she wore heels. In fact, the last time she'd worn heels had been her almost wedding. Or in her alternate life.

"That must be it," Rose muttered to herself, earning an odd look from Sharon as they were waved into the club.

"What must be it?" Sharon questioned, leading Rose towards the dance floor as the loud music echoed in the club.

"I'm not tripping all over myself," Rose told her, gesturing towards the heels. "That's new, must be from one of my other lives."

"That statement only makes sense from you," Shareen laughed before pausing, "Or one of your Time Lady daughters."

"Come on, dancing," Sharon insisted urgently. "This medical student needs to work out some energy!"

Rose grinned as her friend hauled her out onto the dance floor. Sharon sent a flirty look towards a fit bloke a few feet off and spun on her red heels that matched her dress as she started dancing. Shareen was a few steps behind Rose in her own little black dress and giggling at Sharon's antics. The music was pounding a bit louder than Rose liked as she couldn't hear much, but her heart was beginning to beat in time and she grinned.

She wasn't sure how long they danced. Sharon slipped away from her and Shareen a couple of times to dance with particular blokes, but Shareen seemed to understand Rose's reluctance to dance with any of the men here. The two girls twirled and laughed together, stubbornly ignoring the small crowd that was gathering around Sharon though Rose kept an eye on her friend just in case.

It was lovely. Rose had allowed herself to taken out dancing before on several occasions, but this time it just seemed better. There was a happy hum in the back of her mind that Rose could only assume was coming from one of her other lives. She giggled at the notion that maybe she'd been a dancer in another life until she noted that she definitely pulling this off much more gracefully than she ever had before.

"What is it?" Shareen asked over the music. "You've got an odd look."

"I'm realising that I must have been good at this in another life," Rose called back.

Shareen threw her head back and laughed, "Well you aren't tripping in those heels so I'm going to agree that you probably were."

It was utterly ridiculous. A completely unusual thing to be carrying around, but Rose offered her friend a small shrug and teasing grin. She lost track of time as each song was quickly replaced by another. Finally, even her endurance began to fade and she was breathing a bit heavier than normal. Shareen was sweating slightly, but smiling happily and Sharon had rejoined them.

"Drink?" Sharon asked around an exhausted laugh.

"Yeah," Rose agreed as she began to work her way around the press of bodies towards the bar with her mates following close behind.

The music was still loud, but it eased a bit around the bar. Taking a deep breath, Rose fluffed her hair and lifted the long strands off of her neck to cool off.

"Can I buy you a drink?" A tall dark haired man with olive skin asked as he moved over to them with a sweet grin in place.

"Thanks, but I'm engaged," Rose told him with a smile as she raised her hand let her ring catch the light. The words hit her and Rose gasped softly. "I'm engaged," she repeated.

"You okay?" the guy asked looking a touch worried.

"Yeah," Rose breathed, a bit aware of Sharon shifting next to her. "Yeah, I'm great."

"Just really hit you didn't it," Sharon laughed as she grabbed her hand. "Yeah honey you agreed to marry the Doctor."

"I did," Rose agreed with a nod as Sharon started leading her over to a corner curved sofa around a small low table. "I really did. And he even asked."

Sharon chuckled and half pushed Rose down into a seat. She sat down next to Rose and Shareen came over a moment later, carefully carrying three drinks. Shareen sank into the spot on Rose's other side with an affectionate look.

"Here," Shareen said as she handed Rose the drink.

"Thanks," Rose murmured as she accepted the drink and lifted it up into the air. "Here's to living life so spun around that somehow you end up facing the right direction."

"I'll drink to that," Sharon laughed as she clinked her glass to Rose and Shareen's.

As they sipped their drinks and cooled off, Sharon was turning to look at some of the various men in the club. Rose recognised that smile from sixth form and couldn't quite contain her groan. Shareen just shook her head knowingly.

"Hey just because you've been taken since you were sixteen doesn't mean I can't flirt," Sharon informed Rose sternly.

"I have not been taken…." Rose trailed off as both of her friends gave her looks and sighed, giving a sigh of defeat. "Yeah, I guess I have been."

"Rose?" Someone asked from the right of them drawing her attention.

Turning around, Rose looked towards the voice and her eyes widened. Amelia Pond dressed in a short green dress with her long ginger hair half up in a crown braid was standing there with Rory, looking very pleased. Her grin widened as Rose smiled in surprise at her and she let go of Rory's hand and darted towards them.

"Wait who is this?" Shareen started to ask as Rose stood up and half jumped around the low table.

Amelia stepped forward and hugged her. Sadly whatever height Rose gained on the tall girl from her heels was cancelled out by Amelia's own. The ginger girl held her for a long moment with a soft happy hum escaping her that instantly made Rose relax. When Amelia released her and stepped back, Rory instantly put an arm around his girlfriend.

"Hello Amelia," Rose greeted warmly. "How are you doing? What bring you to London?"

"I'm great and just visiting," Amelia laughed. "Your accent is normal now," Amelia observed with a chuckle. "Like I remember."

"Remind me to tell you the story," Rose sighed softly, not wanting to go into her other life right now. "Some other time."

"Hi there," Sharon greeted from behind Rose. "So you're Amelia?"

"Guilty," Amelia laughed with a little wave as she looked at Sharon and Shareen curiously.

"I'm Shareen," her friend offered with a slightly sad smile. "And she's Sharon."

"And that makes you Rory I'd wager," Sharon remarked as she turned her eyes to Rory.

"Yeah, nice to meet you both," Rory remarked with a nod though he looked a bit nervous. "Should we really be-"

"Oh relax honey," Amelia scolded affectionately as she shifted towards the table and pulled him with her. "Let's sit down and have a visit."

"So do you live in London?" Sharon asked as the five of them moved back towards the sofa.

"No we're living in Edinburgh now," Rory told her with a smile as they sat down. "Just down here for the weekend to visit some friends."

"Oh are you from London originally?" Sharon asked with a tilt of her head. "You sound Scottish."

"No," Amelia laughed, "Leadworth, it's a small village in Gloucestershire though the TARDIS is really home. And I am very much a Scot."

"Boy is that the truth," Rory chimed in with a smile.

"So did your gap year go well?" Rose questioned.

"Yeah it was nice to travel around," Amelia answered quickly with a wide grin. "Course having to travel by plane was a bit rubbish."

"But we saw a lot of Europe and went into Asia for a bit too," Rory added. "Then we went to Australia during the winter."

"That's lovely," Rose replied with a wide smile before looking back at Amelia. "So you took the Doctor's advice on Edinburgh huh?"

"Well I can study art and music history at the University of Edinburgh and there is the medical school for Rory so we can stay together. We've got a flat of our own in the city."

"Art and music history?" Shareen repeated before looking at Rose with a smirk. "Wonder where you picked that up from?"

"Well you meet da Vinci, Robin and Monet before you even hit puberty and attend amazing concerts every other month you develop a passion for the arts," Amelia answered with a proud little smirk. "I just love all the passion, love, pain and hope that becomes immortal through art. It's just amazing. Besides now that I'm studying it the Doctor actually lets me do some of the introductions during our trips."

Rose listened to her little speech with a warm smile, all but basking in the raw energy possessed by the girl. She could understand exactly what she and the Doctor would see in Amelia. Enough that they'd raise up a little girl as a companion, but then Rose knew from her own experience how much having open eyes could change your life. Then she saw the look of absolute adoration on Rory's face as he watched Amelia and her heart melted a tiny bit with a phantom feeling of joy for the ginger girl.

"And what about you Rory?" Rose asked, turning her attention to the young man. "Enjoying your schooling?"

"Yeah it's a great school and my professors are really good, helpful and for the most part don't find my questions insane." She must have frowned because Rory rushed to reassure her, "I originally wanted to be a nurse. When we went on a trip to… well never mind that, but I was really inspired by how the doctors there worked and the things they achieved. But sometimes I reference techniques and creeds they followed which Earth doctor's don't."

"Not yet anyway," Amelia added before leaning over to kiss her boyfriend's cheek and snuggle up against him. "He's brilliant at it, though."

"You two are just too sweet," Shareen sighed before she suddenly grinned. "Oh, by the way, we're out celebrating Rose's engagement to the Doctor."

"Shareen!" Rose scolded while Amelia perked up and beamed at her.

"Really? You got engaged now!? I never knew that!"

"Well he and I have a temporally complex relationship," Rose reminded Amelia while the ginger all but vibrated in her seat.

"I know, but wow!" Amelia cried as Rory gave her a fond look while chuckling. "That's just lovely, but you aren't travelling with yet, though."

"Like I said complex," Rose reminded her. "Sort of like my relationship with you apparently."

"Yeah but at least I'm an adult," Amelia laughed. "Might have been weirder to have a seven-year-old suddenly rush up and hug you."

"This has got to be weird then," Shareen observed as she watched how Amelia happily shifted to be a bit closer to Rose. "Seeing basically your Mum when she's your age."

"A bit yeah," Amelia agreed with a bright laugh. "But hey that's what happens when your family is made up of time travellers. I mean there's my sorta-parents Rose and the Doctor and then Athena, Astra, Ali-"

"Mia," Rose cut in quickly. "Timelines."

"Oops," Amelia gasped with a grimace. "But uh you have met Astra and Athena now right?"

"Yes," Rose agreed with a nod before she sighed. "So did you travel in the TARDIS with them too?"

"No," Amelia answered with a shake of her head. "They're all older than me. They used to joke I was the changeling child that you adopted after they were full grown with their own TARDIS."

"Okay," Rose sighed with a small nod. "I know where that puts you in my timeline then."

"A ways down the timeline if you aren't even travelling with the Doctor yet," Amelia agreed with a thoughtful nod. "Weird to think of it being so far away to you, but it'll be amazing."

"I'm sure it will be," Rose told her with a soft smile that Amelia returned looking so happy with the world.

"I'm a bit surprised that he brings a kid on the TARDIS, to be honest," Sharon observed. "Knowing the companions that we know-"

"Well there are some different circumstances with me," Amelia admitted as she sipped her drink. "At first the visits were in part just to monitor me and make sure that I was okay after… exposure to something. I really shouldn't talk about it."

"No you shouldn't," Rose agreed. "No more talk about the future. We'll all students as weird as that might be to you and Rory, let's focus on that or your travels on Earth."

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a crash from the back of the club. Something vaguely humanoid in shape and glowing a soft blue colour rushed through the dance floor and vanished out the side door, knocking the bouncer over. The shouts of the patrons were lost on Rose as she looked around quickly and noted a group of humans in dark uniforms and holding vaguely weapon shaped objects rushing after the creature.

"Oh," Sharon breathed. "That looked like an alien."

"I'm pretty sure it was," Amelia agreed as she climbed to her feet. "Looked like an Arcateenian to me."

"We're going after it aren't we?" Shareen asked with a soft sigh. "Oh well, watching Rose Tyler resolve an alien emergency in heels should be amusing."


	13. Reason to Celebrate: The Arcateenian

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirteen: Reason to Celebrate: The Arcateenian

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose ignored Shareen's comment and tried not to think about her shoes while they quickly regained their coats after Sharon stubbornly pointed out that it was too cold outside to run around without them. Dashing out of the club, Rose looked around frantically for any sign of the alien or its pursuers. There wasn't any sign of the alien, Arcateenian Amelia had said, but there were plenty of people on the busy London street gossiping and pointing after something to the right. As they moved, Rose reached into the pocket of her coat and pulled out the sonic pen.

They followed the pavement, watching the odd reactions and murmuring of the crowds until they suddenly stopped next to an alley entrance. Rose looked down the alley which stretched between several buildings with turns shrouded in darkness.

"Here, give me the sonic pen," Amelia ordered quickly as she reached for the small instrument in Rose's hand.

"Why?" Shareen questioned.

"If it is an Arcateenian then it is using some serious energy to keep itself together in our gravity," Amelia lectured as she carefully adjusted the setting of the sonic pen using the tiny gold dial at the end. "That should leave a trace." She huffed and handed the pen back to Rose. "Honestly the sonic screwdriver is much easier to use."

"Has more settings too," Rose informed her as she held up the sonic pen and watched the strength of the glow at the blue end. "Price of sleekness."

"Yeah will I'm still holding out for a sonic screwdriver someday," Amelia muttered as they group began to move forward.

"You don't need any extra help in finding trouble," Rory reminded her with a chuckle.

"Now you just sound like the Doctor," Amelia grumbled affectionately.

Their heels clicked on the street and echoed in the valley formed by the buildings. Rose shivered, but it had nothing to do with the chill, but rather a very bad feeling that was creeping up her back. She glanced at Sharon and Shareen who was staying close together and noticed that Rory and Amelia were doing the same. At some point, Amelia had tied her long ginger hair up into a messy braid and her green eyes were looking around carefully. Apparently her future… companion/ foster daughter felt it too.

"Something is here," Amelia announced softly. "Something is off."

"Yeah," Rose agreed with a nod. "Keep moving, let's not be easy targets."

The sonic pen hummed softly in her hands and Rose followed it around the corner. A crash at the far end made them all break into a run. Up ahead Rose caught sight of flashes of light and her heart jumped. Torchwood was using some sort of energy weapons. She mentally corrected herself, whoever was chasing the alien, was using energy weapons. It didn't have to be Torchwood.

Her sonic pen beeped and Rose lifted it as the light pattern changed. Frowning, Rose shifted the pen trying to find the new source of the signal. As she tilted the pen up, her stomach tightened and it flashed as it pointed towards the roof. Another round of shouting and flashes of light confirmed it and Rose dashed forward.

Up ahead a door on the building had been blasted open and was lying half in the alleyway. There was a staircase beyond it and Rose didn't wait, rushing up the stairs despite the discomfort of her heels. She once again wondered why men invented the damned things and why women had later on decided that they needed to wear them too and why men had then stopped wearing them.

"I've missed this," Amelia laughed as they rushed up the staircase. "Love school, but nothing replaces this."

"Are you sure you aren't Rose and the Doctor's biological child?" Sharon asked which almost made Rose laugh. "You sound enough like one."

"So dare I even ask how you met the Doctor and Rose?" Shareen asked with an almost frantic look in Amelia's direction.

"Actually it wasn't anything too bad," Amelia chuckled as she kept moving up the staircase. "Multiform prisoner escaped into my house through… well better not talk about that and the Doctor and Rose found it. They captured it and alerted the guards when they came to Earth looking for it. Very fast, very neat and tidy. My aunt hadn't even made it home yet by the time they were done. No one in town even noticed, course it was at night so everything dark."

"And how old were you?"

"Seven, it was 1996 when that happened," Amelia laughed. "One of my favourite memories. The Doctor was stunned at how calm I was."

"Timelines Amelia," Rose scolded as she caught sight of the door to the roof ahead of them. "We're here, be careful everyone."

The door was ajar, but in far better shape than the lower one. Rose hoped that this was just an office building without any flats inside of it with the weapons this lot seemed to be playing with. She shoved the door open, ignoring the slight burning in her feet from running up about ten flights of stairs.

The alien was glowing a brighter blue colour now and the strangers were closing in around it fast with their weapons trained on it. In the light of the alien's glow Rose could see a stylised T emblem on their shirts, but nothing more marking them. However, it was enough to confirm that they were Torchwood. Her eyes jumped back to the alien as the pressure in the air began to build.

"Back!" Rose snapped as she smelled the ozone.

The others ducked back into the staircase and Amelia tugged her back against the wall beside the doorway. Rose risked a glance around the corner just as a bright flash of light erupted outside. Flinching back, Rose gasped as the Torchwood team all collapsed on the rooftop, bolts of energy washing over their bodies. For a moment no one moved and then Rose breathed out a sigh of relief as she realised that they were all breathing.

"Just defending itself," Amelia reminded her softly as she released Rose's arm. "Poor thing must be terrified. Imagine being an alien in London with Torchwood on your tail."

Amelia was right and Rose nodded in agreement and took a careful step forward. The Arcateenian glowed softly in front of them, floating in the air rather like a ghost. There was a metallic belt around its narrow waist that gleamed in the soft light. Rose brought her hands up so the Arcateenian could see she was unarmed. A soft whimper escaped the alien, but it made no move towards them.

Sharon shifted around her and carefully moved to the nearest member of Torchwood. Rory and Shareen were right behind her. In the corner of her eye, Rose watched Rory check the man's vitals before pushing his gun away. As she stepped a little closer to the alien, the trio of medical students moved to the next man and the next man. Rose kept her eye on the alien who was quiet and just watching them uneasily.

"They're all alright," Sharon announced in a low voice. "Just seemed to be stunned. Like a taser was used on them or something."

"Potentially a release of energy," Rory offered, looking towards Rose. "If Arcateenians do have to use extra energy in our world then they must have some control over it."

"A defence mechanism," Amelia agreed beside her.

Rose turned her attention back to the Arcateenian and studied it for a long moment. Up close it was more of a violet colour with tendrils growing out of its rather humanoid face that almost looked like hair. However, its face was contorted with fear and pain. Large bluish eyes were darting between all of them and their hands. Rose hoped that they didn't appear as a threat to the alien. A sharp cry escaped it before it suddenly dropped out of the air and hit the roof.

Rose stopped in her tracks and took in the alien. It wasn't moving and softly glowing blood was flowing out of it. A strange chiming cry escaped it and Rose felt like a hand was tightening around her heart. The Arcateenian shifted, trying to raise itself up on its thin arms and look at them. Before she could say anything Rory moved past her. He raised his hands in front of him so the alien could see and took slow steps towards it.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he promised in a soothing voice. "I'm a doctor… well near enough. I'm not going to hurt you."

The Arcateenian cooed softly, whispering in confusion and Rose watched as Rory knelt next to it and reached into the pocket of his coat. He pulled out a small case a moment later and flipped it open. The Arcateenian made a small sound of alarm.

"He's not going to hurt you," Rose announced making the Arcateenian look at her with wide eyes. "He's going to help," Rose assured the alien. "Please just stay calm."

"Can you ask her some basics for me?" Rory questioned as he checked the contents of his small kit. "I don't want to risk an allergic reaction."

Licking her lips, Rose made up her mind and stepped forward quickly as she reached up and pulled off her translator. She bent down by Rory and as he gave her a surprised look, slipped the translator into place behind his ear.

"No," Rose answered softly. "She needs to be able to talk to her doctor."

Rory then said something to the Arcateenian that Rose couldn't understand and she stepped back to give him some room. The Arcateenian and Rory exchanged soft musical sounds that sounded quite beautiful to Rose and non-threatening. Slowly she shifted back to join the others as Rory nodded and pulled something out of his small med kit. He opened a small green packet, bringing out a cloth that looked a lot like the one the Fifth Doctor had used to heal her arm back in New York City.

"He collects medical supplies when we travel," Amelia informed her in a pleased tone. "He's careful about using them on Earth, but he just wants to help. To heal," Amelia told her with a wide smile. "That's my bloke."

"You love him a lot don't you?" Rose questioned, looking at Amelia's face and finding her soft green eyes fixed on Rory.

"I do," Amelia breathed. "He's just so beautiful. When I was kid as much as I loved you and the Doctor and travelling in the TARDIS and my sorta siblings. But as I grew older, I started worrying that all the alien strangeness would keep me from having someone who was just mine." Amelia swallowed, "And Rory was always a good friend and then one day, just by accident he found out the truth and while it did freak him out a bit at first he was just wonderful."

"Well," Rose sighed with a smile. "I know you aren't my sorta daughter yet Amelia Pond, but I have to say that I am very much approving of the choice you made."

Amelia smiled as her and to Rose's surprise took her hand and leaned her head against her shoulder.

"Well, then it makes sense that you were the one who tricked Rory into revealing he had feelings for me," Amelia chuckled. "I thought he was gay."

Sharon and Shareen snorted behind them and Rose barely contained a smile as she tried to focus on what was happening. It was odd being unable to understand the soft tones of the alien and Rose missed the influence of the TARDIS. Shaking her head, she studied the Torchwood soldiers and shifted over to one, searching for any additional weapons. Each of them were carrying a smaller backup weapon on their ankle and Rose quickly removed them all. She piled them up by the door as Rory kept applying small patches to the Arcateenian.

"Okay," Rory announced as he stood up and extended a hand to the Arcateenian. The alien took his hand and slowly glided back up into the air with a soft cooing sound. "She's not a hundred percent, but she should be alright."

"Do you know what happened to her?" Rose questioned.

Rory shook his head and started moving back over them while Rose looked at the alien again. Its breathing was slightly pained, but it was moving better. Rory stepped back and reached up to his ear, pulling off the translator and handed it to Rose.

"Here," he said softly. "You're better at this than me."

"I'm not sure about that," Rose answered as she accepted the translator back and slipped it into place behind her own ear. "But thanks."

She moved towards the Arcateenian with what she hoped was a calm smile. Her feet were beginning to ache a bit from standing on the hard cement of the roof in heels, but Rose did her best to keep her discomfort from showing.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Rose questioned gently. "I'd like to help you get home."

"I am Ceaflae," the alien responded weakly in a voice that had a musical quality to it. "Thank you for helping me."

"My name is Rose Tyler," Rose introduced only to see Ceaflae tilt her head curiously.

"The Star Knight?"

"That's right," Rose agreed with a growing smile. "I take it you know the Durmino Empire."

"Indeed," Ceaflae replied. "Can you help me? I got lost and my transporter has malfunctioned. Grave danger."

"Danger," Rose repeated with a frown. "What kind of danger? What exactly happened?"

"I am an artist," Ceaflae informed her softly. "I was travelling to a festival a few star systems over when…" Ceaflae shuddered and her glow suddenly dimmed. "I was attacked."

"By what?" Rose questioned only to get a terrified uncertain look in return. "What happened to your ship?"

"Ship?" Ceaflae repeated before shaking her head. "No ship," she answered as she pointed to the strange belt that she wore. "Personal teleport system. Disrupted and damaged. I ended up here and was attacked by those humans."

Rose glanced around at Torchwood and her eyes widened and one of them groaned softly and another shifted. They didn't have much time to deal with this before they started waking up. She was going to say something about that when Ceaflae suddenly clutched at her stomach and shuddered. The glow of her body rippled and a small sound of pain escaped her.

"Bad gravity," Ceaflae breathed out painfully. "Need more energy."

"That's how they found you the first time," Rose remarked with a frown. "You were draining energy weren't you?"

"I need energy to survive," Ceaflae whimpered. "Please Star Knight, help me."

Nodding, Rose looked around the rooftop with a frown. They needed to find a source of energy without hurting anyone and fast by the looks of it. Not to mention there was still the question of what had forced Ceaflae out of her teleport.

"Okay we need to keep Ceaflae stable," Rose announced. "We need an energy source and a quiet place so I can try to repair her teleport."

"There!" Sharon called, moving to the side of the roof and pointed down the street as she leaned over a bit too far for Rose's taste. "Signs say that office building is under construction. Probably some generators and the like inside."

"And it would be out of sight," Shareen added with an excited nod as she grabbed Sharon's arm to keep her steady.

Rose moved over to join them with Rory and Amelia right behind her. The group all leaned over the edge of the building while the Arcateenian waited with soft sounds of pain still escaping it. Sure enough, the office building down the street had signs marking internal construction and a couple of trucks parked up in front of it off the street. While the front was crowded and brightly lit, Rose turned and eyed the staircase they'd come up through.

"Looks promising," Rose agreed with a forming smile. "Let's go and see what we can find."

"We need to keep her out of sight," Rory reminded Rose uneasily.

"The alley connects through this whole block by the look of things," Rose reminded him as she moved towards the far side of the building. "We'll take the back door. It has to have a fire exit."

Rory still looked uneasy even as Amelia squeaked with excitement, half dancing on her heels. Sharon and Shareen nodded and went around to check the Torchwood forced one more time.

"What do we do with the weapons?" Sharon asked as she looked over at them.

Frowning, Rose pulled out the sonic pen once more and moved over to them, studying them all carefully. Small power packs were fixed to each of the weapons and with a smile, she used the sonic pen to disengage them all one at a time. Shrugging out of her leather coat, Rose settled the small packs inside and folded it up so she could carry them.

"Snacks for our friend," she told the others. "And that should limit their offensive abilities."

"Which is good because they're waking up," Rory insisted as he gestured Ceaflae towards the staircase.

"Yeah," Rose agreed as she eyed the nearest groaning soldier. "We have a plan, time to get moving."


	14. Reason to Celebrate: A Shadow

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fourteen: Reason to Celebrate: A Shadow

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

Rose wouldn't have imagined that going less than a mile down an alley would be stressful, but Ceaflae's soft whimpers echoed off the brick buildings and she could just imagine the waking Torchwood forces following the sounds. It was Amelia who reacted best to it by reaching into the little pack Rose had made using her leather jacket and pulling out one of the energy packs from the Torchwood weapons.

They didn't stop moving, but despite the heels, Rose risked a glance back towards Ceaflae as Amelia handed her the power pack. The Arcateenian took the small black cartridge with a look of wide-eyed interest. Turning it over carefully, Ceaflae adjusted the section that would have attached to the weapons with her long glowing fingers. Rose saw a small spark jump onto Ceaflae's fingers and the alien smiled as she brought the cartridge up to her mouth.

Ceaflae slurped loudly at the end of the energy pack and Rose watched with fascination as small sparks of energy vanished into the Arcateenian's mouth in small little arcs of lightning. Ceaflae's colour improved and the soft noises instantly lessened while Amelia beamed at her own cleverness. Rose on the other hand almost walked past the back door that they wanted and into a lamp post.

She recovered quickly and only Sharon giggle, reassuring her that her blunder had mostly gone unnoticed. There was a small security camera up by the door that Rose set onto a loop with the sonic pen as she silently thanked Jack once again for teaching her that trick. Someday she really needed to sit down and write down all the settings on the sonic pen that she did know. Once she was satisfied with the camera, Rose deactivated the security system and unlocked the back door, wishing that she knew exactly where they were breaking into.

"If we get arrested Benton will bail us out right?" Shareen questioned softly behind her.

"Hopefully," Rose answered as she eased the door open and looked into the silent building.

There were low emergency lights on that cast only the faintest glow down the long corridor that led into the building. Opening the door the rest of the way, Rose stepped inside and waited for a moment to make sure that nothing else happened. This was going a little too well, but nothing went off and no lights flashed so she continued further into the building.

The lower floors of the office building were intact with completed walls and a tiled floor down in the corridor as they slipped in the back door. Rose turned around as the group strode in and shut it securely before re-engaging the lock. With luck, they had seen the last of Torchwood tonight, but a lingering fear at the back of her mind was still wondering just what had forced Ceaflae out of her teleport.

"Upstairs maybe," Shareen suggested as she pointed to the fire staircase. "There doesn't seem to be any equipment down here."

"They must be working their way up," Rory remarked as he pushed open the fire door.

It was completely dark without even any emergency lights on. The total darkness sent a shiver do Rose's spine, but within moments Rory had pulled out a small torch from one of his pockets and was shining it around. The others were turning on their mobile lights and using those to guide their way as they moved into the staircase.

They hadn't needed to be so worried. The moment Ceaflae was in the staircase behind Amelia her soft glow seemed to fill the whole space around her, illuminating the steps in a pale blue glow.

"Thank god," Amelia muttered. "I hate the dark."

"Really?" Sharon teased. "Raised by two adventures in time and space and afraid of the dark?"

"There are so very bad things that live in the dark," Amelia informed her softly. "Let's just leave it at that."

"Yeah but not on Earth," Sharon replied though there was a hint of worry in her voice.

"I'm not sure," Amelia told her before she picked up her speed to climb the stairs a bit faster.

Rose did her best to ignore that conversation, not wanting to think about what could make the bold as brass ginger frightened of something. Their voices echoed far too loudly in the staircase and by silent agreement, everyone fell silent. It was slow progress with Rose unlocking each of the doors and looking into each floor for signs of construction. Behind her the sounds of Ceaflae slurping at more energy from one of the cartridges made her want to laugh and tense up at the same time.

This was one of those moments that really reminded Rose of just how odd her life really was. Her time was split between trying to finish a degree that she wasn't actually going to stay on Earth and use, practising her violin to master inherited musical skills from another life, running into people from her own personal future and saving aliens from Torchwood. She held back a laugh and opened another door to find plastic sheeting spread out across the floor.

"Jackpot," Sharon breathed behind her and Rose nodded in agreement.

They walked down the corridor, the plastic shifting beneath them over the tiled floor until it gave way to a bare concrete floor. Workbenches were set up with piles of lumber near them and unfinished and open walls. Piping and wiring were half done on the right wall and barely started on the left with tools organised on the workbenches awaiting the return of the workers. But the prize was the large generator set up in the middle of the room.

The Arcateenian swept past all of them and headed for the generator. It fumbled with the device for only a moment as Rose followed it over. Then the generator kicked on and Ceaflae laid her body across it. A strange sound that her translator couldn't understand escaped her as small bolts of energy jumped off the generator and onto her form.

"That's good isn't it?" Rory questioned with an odd look on his face. "I'm pretty sure generators aren't supposed to work like that."

"They don't," Rose agreed with a shake of her head. "But I think our friend is drawing the energy out regardless of its internal systems." She sighed and looked at the sonic pen. "Remind me to disable it when she leaves so it doesn't electrocute a worker tomorrow."

"Yeah that would be a good idea," Rory agreed with a small nervous laugh. "There are days that it hits me, you know?" Rory confessed to her softly. "And I just had one of those moments."

"Me too actually," Rose chuckled which earned her a look of surprise from Rory. "Hey, I'm human too remember."

Rory shifted at the statement but said nothing. Rose silently put his reaction in the 'evidence that something about me changed' column in her mind and turned her attention back to the issue at hand.

"Ceaflae," Rose called gently, mindful of the echo the unfinished room created. "May I take a look at your teleport?"

Ceaflae paused her happy coos and shifted off of the generator. Energy rippled over her form even after she'd moved away, but Ceaflae calmly reached down and unbuckled her belt-like teleporter. Instead of handing it to Rose, she crossed the room and set it down on the wooden workbench.

"If you can fix it I would be much appreciated," Ceaflae told her in her musical tones.

"Ceaflae do you know what forced you out of the teleport in the first place?" Rose questioned as she moved over to eye the unfamiliar piece of technology. "Was it Torchwood?"

"No," Ceaflae answered slowly with a distressed note to her tone. "Something… else. It was unfamiliar to me. It was like hitting an icy patch."

"In space?" Rose remarked with a frown. Space was a vacuum, without shielding like the TARDIS provided then it was always freezing.

"This was something else," Ceaflae insisted with a shudder. "Something tried to grab me. For a moment I couldn't see any stars, everything was dark and then my teleporter glitched. I woke up in a park, barely able to breathe. It hurt so much… there were humans and shouting. I grabbed a street light and drained the energy to survive. Those people… Torchwood came not long after."

"The humans who saw you must have called the police," Rose explained with a sigh. "Sorry about that. Anyway, you take care of yourself, I'll see if I can fix it and if I can't we'll go from there."

"I am grateful Star Knight," Ceaflae breathed as she moved away from the table. "This planet I lovely, so inspiring, but it is not safe for me to remain here."

"Agreed and with London being Torchwood territory it is best for everyone if you move on."

"But isn't Torchwood worried about the United Nations decision against holding aliens captive?" Sharon asked as she joined Rose at the table. "I mean wouldn't that be a problem for them?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Rose answered with a sigh. "I've talked to the Prime Minister about them, but she is a bit hesitant in giving up what is a major research and development organisation that work for Britain." Rose shook her head and added, "And Harriet revealed that Torchwood's funding largely comes from patents they control. They don't get much money from Britain at all. I think she's worried about Hartman going rogue if they put too much pressure on her."

"Oh lovely," Sharon grumbled. "Just what we need in London. Another Black Sun looking to take over the world."

"Black Sun in the mercenary group that works the Black Market," Rose reminded her. "Within their network is Eclipsed Sun, an elite group of collectors who are trying to take over the world. Connected, but I think technically separate."

"You have too many enemies," Sharon muttered as Rose turned over the device. "Well good luck with that."

"Thanks," Rose answered, not really paying attention anymore.

Examining what looked like a belt buckle, Rose felt a familiar little rush of giddiness. The metal was unfamiliar and shining brightly in the low light. Running her fingers over it slowly, Rose smiled as she found a tiny seam. She adjusted the sonic pen's setting and carefully opened the casing. Inside was a tiny crisscross of shimmering wires and a small blue pulsing power centre right at the heart of the device. In truth, it was quite beautiful and Rose was tempting to take a reference photo so she could paint it later.

Two wires had been partially burned out, but thanks to the sonic she'd managed some basic soldering to shorten them back to their working sections. It was tight, but the energy cell was humming more evenly now. Biting her bottom lip, Rose glanced at her friends and then back at the device.

"Uh anyone have a hair pin?" she questioned only to get surprised looks. "Oh don't look at me like that, I just need it to shift something and all the tools here are too big."

Shareen stepped forward and slipped a long hairpin out of her ponytail and handed it to Rose without only a quirk of an eyebrow. Rose accepted it with a smile and quickly slid it under a patch of wire to hold them up as she resealed another connection into the energy centre. The temperature in the room suddenly dropped making Rose look up sharply from the tiny device. She caught Amelia's eye as everyone shifted in surprise and looked around. Ceaflae whimpered and shrank away from the generator.

"It's here… this is the same cold as before," Ceaflae whispered, looking imploringly towards Rose.

Looking around, Rose tried to see the source of the sudden temperature drop. She started to shiver as goose bumps began appearing up her arms. A moment later Amelia stepped over to her and held out the emptied leather jacket as she set the last three cartridges on the worktable beside the teleport. With a quick nod, Rose pulled on her leather coat and stepped away from the table as her eyes scanned the corners of the room.

There didn't seem to be anything here, but Rose shuddered as she had the distinct sense that there was something watching them. She heard an odd noise outside of the window and turned towards the largest of the great panes of the glass. Rose eyed it uneasily. She already disliked that they might be seen from the outside, but it really sounded like something was moving around outside the window despite them being five stories up.

"Ceaflae," Rose called softly. "What do you remember about your teleporter failing?"

"Well… it's difficult. Teleports are very quick and you sort of just… sleep on longer trips," Ceaflae admitted in a low voice as she looked towards the window nervously.

"Try."

"Something jumped on me," Ceaflae told her uneasily. "There aren't many things that can do that, but I did pass the planet Geonot on my way here," Ceaflae said in a softer voice, sounding much more like she was talking to herself.

The window shattered in a crash of glass that flew out across the floor. Rose felt a large shard slide across the floor and hit the sole of her shoes. The lights flickered and everyone went completely still. Outside the broken window the wind seemed to howl and Ceaflae's glow dimmed. Then something large and black leapt into the room, talons collided with the concrete floor with a terrible scrape and a low rumbling filled the room.

It was a large black creature roughly humanoid in shape with two legs folded beneath it from its landing and long lanky arms, but it seemed to be made of black fire as wisps of dark… something surrounded its form. Then it slowly raised its head to face them and climbed to its feet bringing the thing up to its full seven-foot height. Dark violet eyes focused on Ceaflae and a menacing chuckle escaped it as it began to take a step forward.

"Identify yourself," Rose demanded as she recovered from her initial shock and shifted so she was in front of Ceaflae. Another wave of cold rushed over her and her teeth tried to chatter as she shivered. "I am Rose Tyler and you are on a Level Five Protected Status planet. Under Article 3 subsection 19 I demand that you identify yourself, species and purpose for presence on this planet."

Rose almost smirked in satisfaction as the things attention shifted to her with a hint of surprise flickering in the dark eyes. Keeping herself from shifting nervously, Rose met the alien's gaze despite it very much looking like something out of a cartoon or a Tim Burton film. It sniffed at the air and looked back at Ceaflae in the corner of its eye. Ceaflae whimpered behind Rose and she was struck by the desire to turn and check on the alien, but resisted. Instinct demanded that she didn't turn her back on this alien, it screamed predator to her.

"You smell like a wolf," the alien murmured as it turned its eyes back to Rose. "And you have open eyes."

Rose forced herself not to react to the wolf reference, she refused to be afraid of something connected to her and the Doctor like that.

"Under Article 3 subsection 19 I demand that you identify yourself, species and purpose for presence on this planet," Rose repeated.

"I'm just hungry," the alien replied as it tilted its head. "I'm not invading your little Level Five Planet." Its tone suddenly dropped to an icy purr, "I'll just have a light snack and be on my way."

"Energy vampire," Ceaflae whispered behind her in a fearful voice. "Run, we have to run!"

"Oh little Arcateenian," the alien breathed. "You no longer interest me. This city is full of energy, pulsing away and wasted in lights and those noisy machines." Then it smiled, spreading a mouth that was full of strange twisted teeth like little spires. "You're welcome to run."

Rose tensed as Ceaflae whispered, "Notivil. I'm sorry."

Then the Arcateenian darted out from behind her and grabbed the teleport from the table. Before Rose and the others could even move, Ceaflae wrapped it around her waist and vanished in a flash of light. Swallowing down a flash of fear and refusing to panic, Rose fought to keep her expression neutral as the alien in front of her chuckled.

"Leave my planet now," Rose ordered, drawing herself up to her full 5'5" height.

"No," the alien laughed. "I think I'll have a nice meal first."

It suddenly occurred to Rose that the others behind her wouldn't know what was going on. She hoped that Ceaflae's sudden departure would have put them on edge. A moment later the alien's body seemed to flare with the black wisps growing and surrounding it like a dark halo.

"I am the Nortivil and I will consume this world."

"Get off my planet," Rose insisted. "This is your last chance."

The Notivil leaned forward and opened its mouth again exposing its odd teeth. It sucked in a deep breath and the temperature began to drop and the lights flickered. Rose felt a bit faint and she suddenly remembered Ceaflae's words.

"Energy vampire," Rose gasped before she shouted, "Run!"


	15. Reason to Celebrate: The Nortivil

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifteen: Reason to Celebrate: The Nortivil

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

She felt and heard the others move away from her. The Nortivil snarled at her in a blend of a roar and a laugh. On instinct, Rose brought her arm forward and slashed through the air at the alien, but her sword passed right through the Nortivil. It was like it wasn't even there and a small shock travelled through the sword and into Rose's arm. Thankfully for Rose, the Nortivil looked surprised at the attempt at attacking it giving Rose time to spin her heel and rush after the others.

Rose loved running. She really did, tried to get out and do it every morning just as a way of staying in shape and preparing for life on the TARDIS. However, she was keenly aware as she and her friends rushed down the stairs that something very dangerous was behind her and she was in heels. With one hand she clutched at the rail as the lights around them flickered dangerously while she blindly texted Spock with her free hand. They needed a plan and very quickly and sadly she was not nearly as good as the Doctor at coming up with crazy schemes.

Rory was leading the way as the only one in sensible shoes with his torch helping to light the way now that Ceaflae had fled. Rose had rather mixed feelings on the Arcateenian just fleeing after leading something that Rose's gut told her was very nasty to her planet, but she'd have to look at those later. When you were in the middle of the storm you didn't stop to consider your feelings, not until the storm was past.

They burst out into the alley only to find that the small scattered lights were flickering. There was an unfamiliar hum in the air and a charge of energy hanging in the alley that made Rose's arm hair stand on end. Turning to look back, she noted that the Nortivil didn't seem to be following them for now and wondered why it wasn't. Rose stopped moving and looked up the building critically.

Energy vampire. The term echoed in her head, but she was unsure of just what that meant. Was it all forms of energy from kinetic to potential or just electrical? Caeflae had been terrified and she was a being giving off all sorts of energy so that probably meant it could drain energy from a person too. It was an unpleasant thought and Rose's mind spun as she tried to understand how bad this was. Overhead the lights in the building on every floor were flashing on and off and flickering. Flashes of lightning were briefly seen in one of the larger windows and Rose felt her stomach sink. That wasn't a good sign.

"Hands up!" a voice barked and Rose turned to see the group of Torchwood agents rushing down the alley towards them. They were all dressed in their black gear with the small shining Ts on their shoulder and looking none the worse for wear. Except they were now all carrying small handguns and Rose silently wondered why she hadn't checked for secondary firearms. "Hands up!"

Quickly Rose raised her hands and waited for half a heartbeat to see what the agent would do. The Torchwood agents moved in closer to them with several of them looking around into the buildings.

"I'm Rose Tyler," Rose finally announced, hoping they knew the name and based on how two of them stumbled just a little some of them did. "I'm afraid that the Arcateenian you were in pursuit of has fled Earth," Rose paused for a moment before she added, "What you need to worry about is the Nortivil that made it end up here and is behind us."

"Send a message to HQ," a female agent murmured in a low voice making Rose wish that she could at least see their faces.

A sound from the building they'd all poured out of made Rose jump and looked towards the back door with a bit of dread. The humming in the air was becoming stronger and Rose had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, the same one that had urged her to run only moments before. In the corner of her eye, she saw her friends shift away from the door a little more.

"Look this Nortivil is some sort of energy vampire," Rose offered even as a couple of the Torchwood agents moved towards the door. "We need to be-"

"Quiet Tyler," a male voice snapped this time. "You aren't keeping us from getting this alien. Not after we lost the …."

"Arcateenian," Rose provided uneasily. "Look you were knocked out by the Arcateenian own defence mechanism and this made her outright run in fear."

"And what happened to our weapons?" another agent demanded. "You took them."

"I did not," Rose huffed. "The Arcateenian took the energy packs for food and I wasn't going to stop her after that little show she put on."

It was a lie of course, but it was Torchwood and Rose didn't feel guilty at all. The building next to them suddenly shook and the whole alleyway seemed to tremble. Looking up in alarm, Rose noted that the whole building was dark, completely pitch black. She turned her attention back to the Torchwood agents who were turning on small lights on their headsets and belts. The beams of light seemed bright but only became brighter as all the lamps in the alleyway suddenly went out.

"Where's the Doctor's flashlight when you need it?" Rory muttered in a low voice as he shined his torch around the alley. "Lamps aren't broken."

Rose waited, unsure of what she was waiting for, but a moment later everything became darker as the street beyond them went dark. There were a few shouts, probably from outside the club they'd been in, but she could still hear cars. That was a good sign at least.

"Power outage," one of the Torchwood agents muttered. "Where is the alien!?"

Rose debated for only a moment before she gestured towards the building they'd just come out of. The Torchwood agents marched forward and Rose grabbed Sharon's hand, tugging her friend away from the building and giving Torchwood room to manoeuvre. They moved across the alley, almost switching positions with Torchwood as Rose pulled out her phone.

Her earlier message had been near gibberish, but Spock had responded with a message that he had her location and would monitor the area. She almost smiled at that, good old Spock. Quickly she texted back the words: Nortivil energy vampire to him. Nothing came back right away and Rose was about to text again when a sound from the building they'd left made her freeze. It was an odd crackling sound, like the noise that one of those electric balls made when no one had a hand on it.

A sudden breathy cry made Rose look up and she tensed as the doorway into the building somehow darkened in front of the Torchwood team. Their beams of light vanished as the Nortivil slipped out into the alleyway with a loud laugh. Scattering back the agents all raised their weapons, but the Nortivil didn't react at all.

Reaching out to the closest Torchwood agent, the Nortivil gripped his head. A strange smell filled the air and Rose watched in horror as the agent's flesh began to decay right in front of them. Around them, the other agents began to open fire, but the bullets passed right through the shadowy form. As the Torchwood agents began to fall back and the firing of their secondary weapons increased, Rose moved back herself and motioned to the others to keep moving.

The Nortivil grabbed another of the agents and laughed as they clawed at him with their hands. Their weapon dropped to the ground and Rose watched in horrified fascination as the alien's jaw suddenly unhinged. There was the strange smell again, but this time she could see small traces of light flowing from the agent and into the Nortivil's mouth. Trembling the agent couldn't even scream as his body began to decay. Sharon suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled Rose, forcing her to start running down the alley.

Behind them, she heard Torchwood yell a retreat and there were suddenly more footfalls behind them. The alley was open to the street only a few places and those were blocked by fences. Amelia shouted to Sharon and Rose was pulled over to the back door of another building. She didn't bother with cameras this time as she pulled out the sonic pen and used it to unlock the back door. They poured into the back storage area of some sort of shop with the surviving four Torchwood agents right behind them. Rory slammed the door shut and Rose used the sonic pen to relock it as she tried to catch her breath.

"This is your fault," the female agent snapped as she pulled off her goggles to reveal pale hazel eyes. "If you hadn't taken our energy weapons-"

"Then it would have just eaten the energy," Rose snapped in irritation. "It is an energy vampire, that's what was doing to the wires. It's why there isn't any light for blocks."

"And it can drain the energy out of people," Sharon added in a low frightened voice.

"Plus side," Shareen offered weakly. "It seems to need physical contact of some sort."

"But it made the lights flicker earlier," Rory pointed out as they all ignored the Torchwood agents.

"Radiate energy," Amelia offered. "And it was in the light itself, maybe that is enough contact. It was in the stream of energy, the same as it would have been with the energy weapons."

"I've got to call headquarters," the agent muttered. "This is bad."

"Yeah," Rose agreed with a nod before she eyed the agent squarely. "Look Central London is under attack from something very hostile and powerful. We all need to work together." They said nothing and Rose risked a glance at the door. "Keep an eye on that," she ordered, ignoring the way they all puffed up with indignation. "I don't think a lock is going to stop it."

Pulling out her phone again, Rose allowed herself a quick breath before she hit the speed dial for Spock. The Xylok answered immediately with a professional greeting.

"Spock," Rose greeted with a soft sigh of relief even as she kept her eyes on the Torchwood agents glaring at her. "Look we've got an alien in Central London that said it was the Nortivil. Mean anything to you or K-9?"

"Nortivil?" Spock repeated. "It is not familiar to me…." Spock trailed off for a moment and Rose nervously nibbled at her lip. "But the dog is familiar with it."

"Nortivils of the planet Geonot," K-9's robotic voice declared through the phone. "Highly rare lifeforms who are noted for their appearance as a living shadow. Known as energy vampires they consume several forms of energy-"

"That's it," Rose interrupted. "It's draining the energy of London. We've got several blocks down and it has already killed several people. How do we stop it K-9?"

"Nortivils have a notable weakness to Tungsten," K-9 replied quickly in his robotic voice. "However surface contact is not sufficient, penetration of metal into the inner flesh of Nortivil is required. During the colonization attempt of Geonot in the 34th-century humans used Tungsten bullets."

"Tungsten bullets?" the taller agent muttered as he eyed the phone with a distasteful grimace.

"Affirmative," K-9 responded calmly. "Molecular structure of Tungsten-"

"I don't need the science of it K-9," Rose cut in quickly. "Does it have to be pure Tungsten or will an alloy work?"

"Alloy coating of weapons possible," K-9 responded. "Less effective, but will disrupt the molecular bonds which keep the Nortivil stable. Alien is then torn apart by the escaping energy it has consumed and not yet assimilated into its being. The process of assimilation requires at least four hours."

"Where are we going to get Tungsten?" Sharon asked in concern as she glanced around before her eyes settled on the agents.

"Never mind finding it," the agent snapped. "Making weapons takes time!"

"Electroplating possible for modification of bullets," K-9 offered through the phone. "Or penetrating metal weapons."

"That takes too long," Rose answered with a slight huff. "It isn't a fast process."

"Sonic modulation accelerates the process," K-9 added and Rose smiled.

"That I can do, good dog K-9," she laughed before she paused. "Uh makes sure that you warn Sarah Jane. I know they aren't in Central London, but just to be on the safe side. Let my Mum know too, just downplay the danger please."

"Affirmative Mistress Rose."

"I'll call headquarters," the agent muttered as she reached for her radio. "We should be able to get some Tungsten."

"In what time," Rose hissed to them as the faint light outside suddenly darkened.

They moved to the front of the shop in time to see the distance glow of light far beyond the area suddenly dim and then vanish. Rose estimated the lights had been at least a mile away. The Nortivil was sucking up power far too fast, the connected power lines of the city were making it just too easy.

"Shit!" Rose swore as they rushed out of the building and into the dark street. Locals had their cell phones out and were using the lights to navigate the dark streets as still running cars rushed by. "Okay, we need a new plan. No not a plan, but our own source of Tungsten!"

"Well…." Rory offered slowly as he glanced towards Amelia. "I know that some jewellery stores carry Tungsten rings nowadays. They are becoming more popular."

"Jewellery stores?" Amelia repeated in surprise. "Since when do you go into jewellery stores?"

Rory shifted a bit uncomfortably as Amelia held his arm and smiled at him. Then she saw the look of realisation appear on Amelia's face as her eyes widened and her lips parted a little. Turning to look at Amelia, Rory was blushing a little but had a hopeful smile on his face as Amelia stared at him. Then the ginger girl made a happy sound, leaned forward and kissed him quickly.

"Well whenever you find the right now and ask me just know that the answer will be yes," Amelia told Rory happily. She cleared her throat and looked back to Rose, still holding Rory's arm. "Okay, I thought I saw a jewellery store a couple blocks that way."

"What about the electroplating?" Shareen questioned quickly. "What do we need for that?"

"A tank with water, some electricity and some luck in disintegrating Tungsten," Rose replied with a hint of uncertainty. "This is not going to be easy."

"Is it ever?" Sharon countered with a weak laugh.

Two of the agents had their firearms trained on the back door as the other two spoke in low voices, seemingly to each other, but Rose could tell they were in contact with Hartman through their earpieces. Looking back down at her phone, Rose sent a text to Spock to alert UNIT. If she had to deal with a militant organisation tonight she wanted it to be the one she was allied with.

Then the shop suddenly got colder. Looking towards the back, Rose saw the Torchwood agents drawing back. She frowned and nibbled at her bottom lip and motioned for the others to head for the front door. In the distance, she could hear sirens and wondered what was happening out there in the dark. Her breath danced on the air in front of her and a smash from the back made them all jump.

"It's coming after us?" Shareen gasped. "Why? It has the whole of London to drain."

"Tactical," Rory pointed out as he pulled Amelia towards the front door. "We know what it is and will try to stop it. Take out the threat first."

Nodding, Rose pointed towards the front door and rushed towards it. The Torchwood agents remained in place all raising their weapons towards the back. As Rory pushed open the door and shined his torch into the street Rose turned back to the agents.

"What are you doing? Come on!" Rose called.

"You have a plan Tyler," one of the agents replied sharply. "Get to it."

"But-" Rose gasped in shock as Sharon grabbed her and started pulling her out into the street.

"More agents will be here soon," another agent informed her. "Move!"

The soft hissing of the Nortivil filled the shop and Sharon pulled her harder.

"Move Tyler!" One of the agents snapped just before they all started opening fire. "Kill this thing!"

Shareen joined Sharon in pulling and they pulled her out of the shop as the firing of a gun and the laughs of the Nortivil echoed behind her. Ahead of them, Rory was pointing down the street. He and Amelia waited only a moment for them to catch up before they all started rushing down the dark street. A scream poured out of the shop behind them and into the street, followed by another and then another and another before everything went silent.


	16. Reason to Celebrate: Glimpses

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixteen: Reason to Celebrate: Glimpses

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

Guilt filled Rose as the screams faded away. In her mind's eye she could see the Nortivil draining those Torchwood agents of their living energy and dropping them to a floor as husks. It made her mad, made her hurt and she wished that she'd gotten their names. Hartman would know, she was a people person, and Rose would be offering Torchwood a thank you. But she forced herself to focus on what needed to happen. They'd bought some time for her and the others, she needed to use it.

The rate that the glow of London was fading in the distance made Rose nervous. Above their heads, the glow of the moon was almost overwhelming and stars were appearing. In the distance, she could hear shouting and silently wished that everyone would just go home and light some candles. She knew there was a hospital not too far away and yet there was no glow in that direction. This thing didn't need to grab people to kill them and she found her feet moving faster.

As they rushed down the street towards Rory's jewellery store, Rose could see more lights fading in the distance. She wondered what the story for this one was going to be. After all, she suspected at the all the power lines and power plants were working just as they were supposed to. The only problem was a living shadow that was draining the energy.

"Here it is," Rory breathed, pointing his torch at the door of a small, but very nice looking jewellery store.

Looking up, Rose spotted the cameras and wasn't sure if they had an internal power supply. Just to be on the safe side, she used the sonic pen to switch them off and unlocked the door. Nothing happened when she eased the door open and a glance at a small security box showed that it was completely dead. Still, Rose crossed over to it quickly and used the sonic pen to switch off any backup systems that might be hooked into it. The store was larger than the outside suggested with several large cases of jewellery lining the walls and one large elegant counter in the middle that dominated the space.

"Okay," Rose declared as they looked around the store. "We need some sort of tank, water, tungsten and some…." she trailed off and grimaced. "Electricity."

"Uh…" Sharon trailed off as she looked around at the darkness. "Would batteries work?"

"If you can find some," Rose answered quickly. "They should do the trick. Electroplating really doesn't need a huge current." She looked around and nibbled at her bottom lip, "But we also need vinegar and some table salt and…." Rose paused, "Uh milk should work."

"Corner store a few shops back," Sharon told Shareen. "Come on."

"I can't believe we've become looters," Shareen sighed.

"Well be careful about real looters," Rory told them both as they backtracked towards the door. "With the power outage going on it won't take long for people to start trying their luck." Rose pulled out her phone and tossed it to Shareen. "Call Spock, make sure that he's contacted UNIT. If we can't pull this off then they need to be ready."

"Right," Shareen agreed before she and Sharon darted outside again.

"Found this," Rory said as he set a small glass case on the ground behind the counter. It was the sort used for smaller displays, but plenty large enough. "Think it will work?"

"Yeah," Rose answered as her eyes scanned the cases nervously, hoping that this place had what they needed. "We need some cables too. I should have told the girls that. And something to hang them on," Rose added, feeling rather frantic.

"Got it," Rory agreed with a nod before handing his torch to Rose and pulling out his phone. The light on it worked and he quickly picked up the glass tank and headed towards the back.

Taking a deep breath, Rose opened the first of the cases and used the light of the torch to inspect the jewellery. Thankfully the different cases were marked on the inside of the counter with small little notes to help the staff. There weren't many, but in the right most case Rose found what she was looking for: a small display of heavy tungsten rings.

She plucked out four of the rings just to be on the safe side and moved back towards the tank as Amelia and Rory returned from the back each of them carrying supplied.

"Found some metal wires in the back," Amelia announced as she moved over to the overturned case that Rory was setting a thin metal bar over. Together the pair bent some of the wires into a hook to hold the rings.

"We got everything you said," Shareen announced as she and Sharon stumbled back into the shop and locked the door behind them. "An alarm managed to go off for about two seconds before it wound down in this really weird sound." She shivered and handed Rose's phone back over. "Thankfully it hasn't drained the phones yet. Spock had already alerted UNIT and they're on their way."

"They know about the tungsten?"

"Yeah, they're working on it too," Shareen offered around a thick swallow.

"Okay," Rose muttered softly, shifting nervously as she knelt down. She poured the jug of milk into the tank followed by the vinegar and some of the salt. "Here's the solution, we've got power and the tungsten."

"What are you planning to use?" Sharon asked as she eyed the tank. "As the weapon I mean?"

Moving her wrist, Rose called her sword and watched as Sharon grimaced.

"Are you sure that will work?" Rory asked with hesitation. "I mean tungsten is one of the hardest metals in the world. Not to mention you have to hold the sword…"

"No," Rose admitted with a frown. "But this isn't actually gold and is a lot stronger than anything else I've encountered so the tungsten should be able to at least temporary electroplate it."

"I don't know," Sharon breathed as her eyes danced between the sword and the tank.

"This is what I've got," Rose sighed. "I wasn't exactly prepared for this." She shook her head. "Come on, we haven't got much time."

For an art and music history student Amelia helped her hook up the batteries without even a moment of hesitation. Rose eyed the solution doubtfully, eying the dark ring hooked up to the first of the batteries. For a moment she regretted her own lack of knowledge, wondering if there hadn't been an easier way to do this.

"I hope this works," Shareen breathed as she looked out the window. "I mean those Torchwood agents…" she trailed off and Rose nodded in understanding.

She'd contact Hartman when this was all over and commend them for buying time. As much as she disliked Torchwood they'd earned that. Shifting off her knees, Rose dipped the end of the sword several inches into the tank and tossed the sonic pen to Amelia. Grinning, Amelia adjusted the setting on the sonic pen and lowered the tip just above the water. The soft familiar hum of the pen filled the jewellery store, proving to be both comforting and distressingly loud.

Rory took back his torch and shined it on the small tank as the water vibrated thanks to the sonic pen. The ring was shimmering oddly and Rose couldn't help but lean forward to watch it. Amelia carefully hooked up the second wire to the blade of the sword and Rose held her breath. She could feel something happening, there was an odd tingle up her arm and she desperately hoped that the sword could understand her enough to help this work. Her holding the sword was far from ideal, but she couldn't' think of any alternative right now.

Everyone was silent as the sonic pen's hum continued to fill the shop. Outside Rose could hear the noise level rising and grimaced. If looters were out then they were in a horrible place. The solution was fizzing softly with small bubbles appearing in a steady stream. Rory shifted his torch towards Rose's sword and she gasped at the sight of a faint dark layer beginning to form on the blade.

"It's working," Sharon breathed. "Let's just hope it doesn't break your sword."

Amelia and Rory exchanged a look but said nothing and Rose didn't ask. A strange long snarl was all the warning they had before the Nortivil arrived. Bits of shadow crept in beneath the doorway and the fancy windows rattled. Rose braced herself for a secondary alarm to sound, but the power outage seemed to have drained even the backup systems. The temperature in the store dropped and Rose looked down at the tank. There was still only a very faint layer on the blade of her sword, but they were out of time.

Rose exhaled and pulled her sword from the water, shaking off the electrical wire wrapped around it. She ignored the slight jolt up her arm and brought the sword up. Outside there were sudden screams and even in the darkness, she could see people running away. Moving towards the doorway, Rose readied herself to charge outside

But then the main window shattered, the glass cracking out all around the central point. As the glass fell inwards a shadow seeped into the building and Rose took a step back. Rose's breath danced on the air as the shadow rose up and retook the frightening human shape.

Slashing out, Rose gasped as the Nortivil dodged her strike and hissed. There was a strange breathing sound and she realised with a hint of alarm that it was sniffing at the air. Before she could move it lashed forward and grabbed her. A painful rush of cold spun up Rose's left arm. She couldn't move and her lungs constricted due to the sudden rush of cold. A laugh escaped the Nortivil and fear burst through Rose as she tried to move. On reflex, her fingers tightened around her sword, but she couldn't seem to bring her arm up to attack.

Someone grabbed her right arm and shoved it forward. There was a flash of gold and silver in the air and the Nortivil made a cry of alarm. It released Rose and she stumbled forward towards it, unable to control her fall. The blade sliced into its flesh and there was a flash of low light as the tungsten flecks on the tip of the sword reacted with something. Rose's sword suddenly warmed up and there was an odd burning smell as the Nortivil shrieked. Reeling back, the Nortivil's body began to shimmer and shake. Rose's eyes widened as the room suddenly heated up, beyond its normal temperature and she smelled something ionising. Like a building thunderstorm!

"Run!" Rose gasped as the dark mass pulsed and sparked.

She almost fell into Sharon, realising that her friend must have been the one to help her use the sword. Sharon tossed Rose's arm around her shoulder as her sword returned to its bracelet form. Rose felt tiny flecks falling past her hand and as Shareen grabbed her other arm looked down to see fragments of tungsten falling to the floor. Everyone rushed to the front door which Amelia unlocked with a quick flick of the sonic pen and poured out into the street.

Rose could see the energy building on the air, it smelled like the calm just before lightning struck. Thankfully the others understood too and kept moving further away from the shop. Behind them the windows of the store exploded outwards in a brilliant flash of light. Lightning lashed out through the windows and a rush of heat washed out into the street catching Rose by surprise.

"Uh good call on the running," Shareen offered with a weak laugh.

"How are you feeling?" Sharon demanded as she shifted Rose back against a wall.

Rory joined her in less than a second, shining her torch into Rose's eyes. She blinked and tried to turn her face away as she breathed in and out slowly.

"I'm okay," she insisted with a soft chuckle. "Tired, but okay."

"You should see a doctor and I mean an actual doctor," Rory told her firmly. "That thing had you for several seconds, Rose."

Her phone suddenly began ringing as the fire began to grow in intensity. People were rushing out of the building down the fire escape from the upper flats and Rose grimaced in sympathy. Looking around the street she watched the lights begin to flicker on and winced as she took in the messy street. Apparently, some looting had been in progress.

"Hello?" she greeted exhausted as she brought the phone up to her ear.

"Tyler?" Benton's voice greeted with a grateful sigh. "Frost is only a block away, but reports of an explosion are coming in from the area. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, the Nortivil is dead," Rose announced. "Apparently bad things happen when something converting energy is killed."

"And you're alright?" Benton asked again.

"Yeah," Rose sighed, as she heard a large number of vehicles and turned to see the large UNIT SUVs and two trucks pulling into the area. "I'm alright."

In the corner of her eye, Rose saw Amelia and Rory duck into an alley away from UNIT. She paused but realised quickly their reason for concern. Chuckling softly, she caught Sharon and Shareen's eyes and shook her head to give them a little warning. Both of them nodded and Rose hoped they'd gotten the message. As Benton got off the line, Rose sighed and ended the call, pulling her coat tighter around herself.

Rose turned her attention back to the vehicles as they came to a stop. UNIT soldiers poured out to secure the area and others with firefighting equipment went to the storefront. Thankfully Rose could see that the sprinkler system seemed to be working at least. Maybe the damage wouldn't be too bad. A woman moved towards them and Rose turned her attention to her, relaxing when she realised that it was Elizabeth Frost.

"Tyler," Colonel Frost greeted in a stern professional voice. "Are you alright?"

"I will be," Rose promised as she eyed the Colonel's insignias. "Congratulations on the promotion," she told Frost. "I haven't seen you for a while."

Frost gave her a softer look and Rose knew that the Colonel didn't buy her flippancy for a moment. She glanced over towards Rose's friends and then glanced at Rose, her eyes lingering on Rose's short hem and the shoes. Rose huffed as the Colonel chuckled a little.

"She needs a doctor," Sharon informed Frost calmly. "Full medical check."

"Of course," Frost agreed with a nod. "Medical transport is right over here," Frost announced as she gestured towards another truck that was pulling up.

Sharon gripped her arm tightly and half dragged her towards the medical unit. Rose looked over her shoulder to find Shareen still speaking with Frost who was nodding quickly.

…..

"Well you seem to be alright," the medical officer that Rose had never met before told her nervously. It was a young Indian man who seemed far too worried when he'd check her vitals. Rose's 'someone warned him about the Doctor' internal alarm was going off. "But if you feel weak at all-"

"I'll report it immediately," Rose promised, tugging at the hem of her dress as another one of the soldiers walked past her and did a double take. "Can I go?"

"Uh yes, I suppose," Doctor Verma answered and Rose jumped off the table and rushed down the stairs out to the street.

She looked around quickly as she moved away from the vehicle. The familiar glow of London was back and above her head, many of the stars had vanished in the light, but she felt only relief. Pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear Rose wondered how she was going to remember this one. It had started off as a night out with friends, turned into a rescue mission and then a fight for survival. No grand plot, no major enemies… just a nasty alien with his eyes on a snack no matter who or what it hurt.

The fire had been put out and people were milling around curiously despite the late hour. Police were down the street, checking on the shops and a strange calm had set in over the area. Catching sight of Sharon and Shareen, Rose moved towards them where they were waiting near the end of the UNIT barricaded zone. Both of them look tired but were smiling and talking to a couple of the UNIT soldiers.

Rose stood there watching her best mates talk with the UNIT blokes and tried to smile. Her gut was twisting painfully as she thought back to the club. Amelia and Rory hadn't recognised Sharon or Shareen, hadn't known who they were. Licking her lips, Rose struggled to control her breathing and the tears prickling at her eyes as that fact really sank in. The horror of the Nortivil faded from her mind as another fear set in.

"Rose," Amelia called softly as she stepped up next to her. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Rose forced out and Amelia gave her a doubtful look.

"That sounded a lot like when the Doctor says he's alright," Amelia informed her.

"I'll be okay Amelia," Rose promised. "I just… realised something that I've been ignoring."

"Okay," Amelia said softly before she reached over and snagged Rose's hand. As Rose turned to look at her Amelia kissed her cheek softly with a kind smile. "Well Rory and I should go, timelines and UNIT and all that. Just wanted to wait to make sure you were okay."

"Yeah I'm fine," Rose assured with a nod. "Take care of yourself."

"I will," Amelia promised as she released Rose's hand and stepped forward to hug her tightly. "Love you," Amelia whispered to her before she released her and dashed away.

Rose watched Amelia's ginger hair in the crowd of curious bystanders for a moment as she rejoined Rory and the pair quickly moved away from the building and the fuss. Staring after them, Rose breathed in and out slowly as she tried to regain some sense of equilibrium.

"Rose," Shareen's voice called as she and Sharon came over. "Come on honey, they've got our ride."

Turning back to her friend, Rose found herself drinking in Shareen's features from her wavy brown hair, bright eyes and great cheekbones to the small dimples that appeared as she smiled. Before she thought out it, Rose moved forward and hugged her friend tightly as her body shook the tiniest bit.

"Rose?" Shareen questioned as Sharon walked over with a worried expression.

"Sorry," Rose gasped as she released Shareen and brushed a few tears that were slipping down her cheeks away. "I just- sorry."

"Rose," Shareen said softly as she reached out and caught her hand. "Over the years we've gotten a lot of clues that your lifespan is going to be lengthened, a lot."

"I know," Rose forced out, wondering just how Shareen could read her so easily.

"And that means that someday, even with time travel we aren't going to be here anymore. Not in your timeline anyway," Shareen whispered as she squeezed Rose's hand. "Amelia didn't know us. She tried to hide it, but there was no recognition in her eyes." Rose just nodded, unable to speak around the sudden lump in her throat. "And that's okay."

She turned to look at her friend's face and found Shareen looking at her with soft teary eyes. "It's okay," she repeated. "Because Sharon and I both know that you'll have the Doctor and friends like Amelia and Rory even when we and the modern companion's club are gone."

"Shareen-"

Her throat tightened as the reality of it hit Rose in the chest. She'd known for a while now that she wasn't looking at a mortal lifespan; that much had become pretty clear. She had theories as to why ranging from medical intervention to… well, whatever the Guardians were so interested in her about. To her, it had been a good thing because of what it meant for her and the Doctor and eventually their children, but all of a sudden she could see a cost. One that she'd never considered before. Not really.

She'd outlive them: Sharon, Shareen, Sarah Jane, Luke, Sky, the Chestertons and her Mum. All of them. Even with time travel and some patience eventually, she'd just run out of days. Run out of time and that realisation suddenly made it very hard to breathe.

Sharon reached out and stroked her hair gently, drawing Rose's gaze towards her. "We know that you'll be with the bloke that loves you from the bottom of both of his hearts, that you'll have two daughters who admire you and love you and other people whose lives you are going to touch," Sharon continued with a soft smile. "We know that when we're gone you will have a family that loves you. That they will look after you for us."

"And hey if I ever get phone calls from you in your future when you just need to talk to an old mate," Shareen chuckled even as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Or you show up at our flat looking older with a wedding ring," Shareen swallowed thickly, looking a bit pained. "We promise to keep quiet about it."

Leaning her head against Shareen's shoulder, Rose closed her eyes and allowed herself to soak in the love she could feel radiating from her friends. They each wrapped an arm around her and then Sharon kissed her cheek.

"So what do you say we go back to our flat, eat ice cream and have a Disney marathon?"

"That sounds brilliant," Rose agreed as she squeezed her eyes and tried not to cry. There'd be time for tears later, but not now. Not after a victory and not while she still had them.

…Coming Soon…..

"Thorn," a tense-sounding Benton said. "I'm sending you to Utah."

"Utah," Rose repeated as a cold shudder went up her spine. "Not again, why?"

"Van Statten," Benton informed her in a tired sounding voice. "A distress signal has been discovered in that bunker of his."

"A distress… he'd got a living alien?"

"Seems like," Benton grumbled. "They're hoping you can help calm the alien down. The operation is due to go in tomorrow. Thanks to the U.N. ruling against keeping aliens prisoner without authorization we can go in. We're working with Section 13 on this. Will you go?"

"Of course," Rose answered quickly as she started reaching for her bag. "Who knows what he's got locked up down there."


	17. Dalek: Into the Vault

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Seventeen: Dalek: Into the Vault

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

Rose gulped down the waiting glass of water as she stepped into her Cambridge flat and locked the door behind her. Despite the November chill, her morning runs were still enough to build up a sweat. Every time she tried to talk herself out of them the reminder that in a few more months she'd be living in the TARDIS full time and having adventures even more frequently was enough to make her get up.

As she towelling off her face her phone rang and Rose answered it with a quick, 'Tyler' without even looking at the caller ID.

"Thorn," a tense-sounding Benton said. "I'm sending you to Utah."

"Utah," Rose repeated. A cold shudder went up her spine and she turned her full attention. "Not again, why? Please tell me it isn't Lake Silencio again." Though there wasn't really a lake there anymore, not unless the Americans had filled the huge hole with water.

"Van Statten," Benton informed her in a tired sounding voice. "A distress signal has been traced back to land he owns. We contacted Section 13 and they informed us that he'd got a secret bunker there. It's believed to be where he keeps his alien collection."

"A distress… he'd got a living alien then?" Rose questioned with a chill going down her spine. She remembered too clearly when one of Van Statten's 'friends' had gotten ahold of the Doctor.

"Seems like," Benton grumbled. "They're hoping you can help calm the alien down. The operation is due to go in tomorrow. Thanks to the U.N. ruling against keeping aliens prisoner without authorization we can go in. We're sending some of our forces to meet up with Section 13 there. Will you go?"

"Of course," Rose answered quickly as she started reaching for her bag. "Who knows what he's got locked up down there."

It didn't take her long to get ready. It never did if Rose was honest. A quick shower, a change of clothes and five minutes of frantic packing for two or three days and she was out on the curb as a black car pulled up. It wasn't until they were halfway to London that Rose realised she hadn't grabbed a book for the transatlantic flight.

….

One stop in a Heathrow shop, a transatlantic hop to New York City, a slice of pizza and a private flight to an airstrip outside of Salt Lake City, Rose stepped off the small plane and into the bright sunlight of the Utah desert. She was a bit achy from the flight but had thankfully gotten a few hours of sleep in the private plane.

Rose shielded her eyes and looked around. A large black SUV was parked only a few feet away with two uniformed UNIT soldiers looking ready to melt. The doors opened and another figure all but fell out of the back. Rose smiled as she recognised Swanic Eder or Swanic Donovan depending on if he was using his human wife's name. His pale skin looked almost white in the sunlight which hid the slight purple tint that she knew was there. He was shielding his eyes from the intense light. Rose noted that the white streaks in his otherwise brown hair seemed narrower than the last time she'd seen him. He wasn't exactly human, originating from the planet Viligrid so she wasn't sure what was normal for him. Otherwise, he appeared as a fairly normal human man dressed in jeans and polo shirt.

"Welcome back to Utah," Swanic greeted with a slight grimace. "I promise we'll try to make sure this visit goes better."

"Wouldn't take much," Rose countered as she pulled out her sunglasses from her shoulder bag and walked over to Swanic. "Good to see you."

"And these gentlemen are our UNIT escorts," Swanic told her as he gestured to the two men waiting for them. "Colonel Peterson sends his apologises for being unable to meet you, but he wanted to keep an eye on the operation."

"Understandable," Rose agreed as Swanic pulled open the SUV doors and she gratefully climbed into the thankfully air-conditioned car.

There were a few moments of movement as one of the UNIT men grabbed her carry on bag and stowed it in the back of the SUV and the other climbed into the driver's side. Swanic climbed in next to her with a grateful sigh. He took out a small handkerchief and dabbed his forehead.

"I'll be honest, my species really wasn't built for the desert."

"I'll be honest, mine wasn't either," Rose pointed out with a chuckle that made Swanic smile and nod in agreement. "How are Danielle and Michael?" Rose asked as the second soldier climbed into the front and the SUV began to pull forward. "Still in college right?"

"Oh yes and will be for a bit longer," Swanic replied with a chuckle. "They've both outright decided to pursue P. now. I keep telling them that they have jobs at Section 13 if they want them, everyone there has known them since they were born, but they want full qualifications."

"Well I wouldn't be too happy getting a job just because my Dad was an alien," Rose pointed out with a weak chuckle. "But it's good that they enjoy school enough to invest the time."

"Yes, what about you Rose? I know that university is a bit different in the U.K. You must be about done by now."

"Yeah I took a fourth year, concurrent degrees," Rose explained. "It's unusual, but it means I have four years like Americans. I'm doing well, but looking forward to being done."

"Ah yes… I understand you'll be leaving with the Doctor then," Swanic remarked carefully.

"That's the plan, see the universe and save some planets other than Earth from time to time," Rose responded as she eyed Swanic out of the corner of her eye. "What?"

"Oh nothing, it just seems a bit much to me." Swanic chuckled and shook his head. "I only travel with Section 13 makes me." He sighed and shifted in the seat. "To be honest I've begun taking with Matthews about retiring once Michael finishes school. Between growing up with alien artefacts and a degree in electrical engineering he'll be ready to take my place."

"That's right your wife… Evelyn is already retired isn't she?" Rose questioned.

"Yes, she is." Swanic agreed as the Utah desert kept rolling past the windows. "And it's nice to feel secure enough with the leadership that I'm not worried about what happens when I retire."

Sadly Swanic didn't have much to tell her about the signal. They hadn't moved in yet, but UNIT forces under the command of one Colonel Roberts were in the area to help. In the distance, Rose thought she could see the outskirts of Salt Lake City and inwardly sighed at the total lack of travel for fun that had been happening lately.

After about half an hour, they pulled off the road next to a large black semi-truck that Rose instantly recognised as a mobile command unit. There were no insignias on the side and she wasn't sure if it belonged to Section 13 or UNIT. As one of the soldiers opened the door to allow Rose to step out, she looked around and noted that she could see a group of structures in the distance. If that was where Van Statten was then he definitely knew they were here.

Still, she focused on the truck and as the back opened and she was gestured inside, Rose calmly climbed up the stairs. It was a tight fit and one wall was filled with computers and monitors with soldiers watching them intently. A small table was squished at the far end and she could see two officers sitting at it. One was in a UNIT uniform and the other in a U.S. Airforce uniform.

Rose nodded to Colonel Peterson, remembering that he was the head of the military forces of Section 13 and Doctor Matthews' second in command. The strongly built man looked tired but gave her a welcoming nod as she and Swanic sat down.

"Tyler," the man in the UNIT uniform greeted as he saluted her. "I'm Colonel Roberts of UNIT."

"Pleasure," Rose replied. "Glad to be here to help gentleman. What are we dealing with exactly?"

"Our scans picked up the distress signal three days ago," Colonel Peterson informed her. "Van Statten is well connected so I'm afraid we had to proceed very carefully. The man has a huge amount of power in the United States."

"Do we know anything about the distress signal?" Rose questioned as she looked at the screen.

"No," Colonel Peterson answered with a shake of his head. "It just keeps repeating a call for help. It's completely automatic, we haven't been able to reply to it, but when we tried the signal did change. That's why we're fairly confident that it is a living alien specimen."

"And Van Statten?" Rose asked, glancing towards the picture of the oily man which came up on screen.

"As you know he's the CEO of the American corporation GeoComTex. Buys up a lot of alien technology on the grey markets which he reverses engineers. Ever since the U.N. agreed on certain rules to try and keep anyone from starting a war and lessened the illegal trade his company's new technology releases have slowed."

"Oh too bad," Rose muttered sarcastically. "Well I can tell you that the Eclipse bunch don't think much of him and he's a slimy flirt, but I haven't got much else to add."

"Well hopefully Eclipse has nothing to do with this," Colonel Roberts muttered. "Course I'd love to find dirt on them in Van Statten's files."

Rose could only nod in agreement, the very reminder that they were still out there making her skin crawl. Aliens she could deal with. Many of them stood out and made noise if they were dangerous, but Eclipse was in the shadows. An elite bunch of alien technology traders that ran Black Sun with plans of world domination through some yet unknown means. They worried Rose far more than she liked.

"How are we getting in?" Rose questioned and the two officers exchanged a glance.

"As much as I'd like to rush in and take everything he's got," Colonel Peterson admitted. "We have to alert him that he's in violation and escort the alien out." He shrugged and gestured towards the screens. "We've got twenty more men on the way over, they'll be here in a few minutes."

"So we're just knocking on the front door?" Rose clarified with wide eyes.

"It's worked for you in the past," Colonel Roberts reminded her, but Rose got the distinct impression he didn't like it any more than she did.

…..

Van Statten's compound was fairly lacklustre. It was a boring looking complex with a few outbuildings around one larger, but plain looking one. Rose was fairly certain that it passed off as a warehouse for Van Statten's company. The main building had only one visible floor, confirming Rose's theory that it went deep underground. For a moment she wished that she had a vortex manipulator so she could just get down there before anything bad happened.

The UNIT soldiers spread out fast around the small fleet of SUVs and jeeps they'd all come in on, but Rose swallowed nervously even as the speaker crackled on. She couldn't help but wonder just how much firepower Van Statten had in his bunker and what he might be prepared to do with it. Next to her, partially behind one of the open topped jeeps Swanic was shifting nervously himself.

"Van Statten," Colonel Peterson's voice called over the speaker system. "A distress signal has been detected coming from within your bunker. Holding a living alien has been ruled a clear and present threat to global security by the United Nations Security Council and agreed upon by the President of the United States. Surrender the alien immediately."

The doors of the main building opened and two long lines of armed soldiers spilt out. Tensing, Rose held her breath, but thankfully no one opened fire and Van Statten's men settled into rest positions. Rose did a quick count, there were ten of them, but as she looked towards the doors she was distracted by the man himself appearing.

Van Statten just smiled from behind his soldiers with a small horde of assistants surrounding him. His eyes moved right past Rose and she was a bit relieved that he didn't seem to recognise her without the fancy dress and makeup.

"You can't be serious," Van Statten chuckled as he eyed the Colonel. "I'm Henry Van Statten and this is private property."

"You are holding a living alien in your vault," Colonel Peterson repeated and Rose began to shift away from the command staff. "Due to the newness of the laws, it has been decided to allow you to surrender the alien peacefully without any further repercussions."

Rose could tell that saying that nearly killed Peterson who looked ready to be sick to his stomach. Van Statten must have noticed too because he smiled smugly and waved his hand causing his guards to lower their guns. The realisation that he had a small private army in that bunker did not make Rose feel better about him or the situation.

"It would seem that I have no choice," Van Statten replied with his wide smile still in place.

Rose knew the instant they were all inside he was going to start making phone calls. None the less, Colonel Peterson followed him into the main building with a hesitant look in her direction. Rose couldn't deny that she had a very bad feeling about this.

They moved forward with Colonel Roberts falling into place beside her with Colonel Peterson moving along beside Swanic. Exchanging a look with Swanic, Rose was amazed at just how calm he seemed to be. If was an alien heading in here she'd be a lot more nervous. As they filed into a large concrete room with tile and more guards at the ready, Rose scanned it with her eyes. There was one emergency stairwell marked and a lift open and waiting.

"I'm sure you'll report that I've cooperated," Van Statten remarked as he turned to Colonel Peterson. "Pity, though, you know what I did with the Roswell crash. I could have done so much more."

"Aliens who send out distress signals do so because they expect someone to come for them," Peterson declared sharply as the five of them and one of Van Statten's aides climbed into the lift. "And then it becomes nasty business."

"I bought it legitimately at auction," Van Statten scowled. "Nothing had happened with its three prior owners. All it does is just sit there, all day and every day. It hasn't done anything."

"Yet," Rose muttered drawing Van Statten's attention towards her.

"You look familiar," he remarked with a raised eyebrow as his eyes moved up and down her figure. "Nice measurements."

"I kickbox," Rose replied, letting a hint of disgust into her voice.

But Van Statten just smiled and the lift opened with a soft ding. They stepped out into a rather elegant if small meeting room. There was one large flat screen television on one end of the room between some metal panelling to help dress up the dull concrete room. Van Statten sat down in the chair at the head of the table near a corner desk and an American flag. He gestured to the other places around the table with a smile.

"It will take your men a few minutes to make it down the stairs," he informed them with a chuckle before snapping his figures at his aide. "Some food for our guests." He then sighed dramatically and looked back at Rose. "I know I've seen you before."

"Then I'm sure I've blocked it out," Rose retorted, but again he only smiled and Peterson gave her a warning look. Rose figured that he knew she really wanted to hit him. She'd wanted to when they met in Seoul and she definitely wanted to now.

"So you come here and take my Metaltron," Van Statten observed as the aide returned with a pitcher of water and a plate of cut up fruit. "Then what?"

"There are authorities we can alert," Swanic replied calmly. "Earth is a level five protected planet and for the time being we want it to stay that way."

"It makes invading us illegally," Roberts told Van Statten. "But rescue missions by aliens are allowable as we are considered too primitive."

"That's a terrible system," Van Statten huffed. "It's been on Earth for almost fifty years. Why would anyone come for it now?" He leaned forward and gave them all that oily smile, "This technology has been falling to Earth for centuries. All it took was the right mind to use it properly. Oh, the advances I've made from alien junk."

"We're aware," Peterson assured him. "And you're not the only one, but there are lines that have to be drawn. Where is the alien?"

"In the Cage," Van Statten huffed. "We just finished it yesterday. I'd been after the Metaltron and you take it from me in only days."

Swanic was paler than before as Van Statten grabbed a remote and pointed it at the television. It flickered on to reveal a very dark room. A look of slight relief appeared on his face that made Rose's frown grow.

"There it is," Van Statten announced. "Fifty floors below us." He chuckled and gestured around them. "We're in the eagle's nest as it was."

"Fine, we need copies of all your records of the alien," Peterson told him as he rose to his feet. "Immediately."

"I'm cooperating," Van Statten insisted with a scowl.

Rose reached for the remote and studied it for a moment while Van Statten was distracted by glaring at Peterson. It was more complex than your usual television remote with a playback button. Remembering the look of relief on Van Statten's face at the dark room, Rose felt a dark suspicion flash in her head. She watched Van Statten stomp out of the room with his aide, Peterson and Roberts. Swanic stood and gave Rose a curious look, but she licked her lips and pressed the playback button.

The room was suddenly brightly lit and there on the far side of the room wrapped in heavy chains was a creature Rose had never seen herself and believed that she never would see: a Dalek. Then it began to scream.


	18. Dalek: The Cage

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Eighteen: Dalek: The Cage

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

Rose watched the screen, watched the replay of the Dalek screaming in pain as her stomach twisted uncomfortably. She was vaguely of the others returning and Peterson yelling at Van Statten, but she was frozen in place. Her finger was still pressing down on the replay and kept the video looping.

It was a Dalek, the creature that haunted so many of her friends' nightmares and yet… she felt so sick watching this. Its screams were unnatural to her human ears but distinct with the sound of suffering. Her mouth was dry as her head spun trying to make sense out of what she was seeing. It was a Dalek, but the Time War was supposed to have killed all of them and all the other Time Lords. Only the Doctor was left, he'd been the eye of the storm and yet there it was. Swallowing and shifting nervously, Rose pried her thumb off the replay button. She dropped the remote on the table, suddenly unsure just how long she'd wasted wrapped up in her thoughts.

"Tyler?" Colonel Peterson questioned. "Uh… you okay?"

"I'm not sure," Rose admitted as she rubbed her eyes for a moment. "It's a Dalek, I know that, but…" Shaking her head, Rose tried to make sense of the overwhelming wave of pity that was welling up in her chest despite the rational part of them reminding her of just how dangerous that thing was.

"I've been briefed on them," Peterson told her in a soft voice. "Thankfully they haven't come to Earth too often, but they've always been bad enough that information on them was shared amongst the alien organisations."

"Yeah," Rose breathed, it would have to be."

Peterson shook his head. "Still Van Statten doesn't know how dangerous they are. He didn't know what he was torturing. According to his scientists, it only took him twelve hours of it not talking for him to start torturing it."

Rose's stomach turned and she swallowed down a rush of bile wondering just how she was supposed to feel about this. They couldn't return the Dalek to space so it would probably be killed, but thanks to the new laws and given its helpless condition that was going to be a bit complicated.

"Sir!" a soldier with a UNIT patch on his shoulder gasped as he rushed into the room. "Uh, Code Nine."

"Are you sure?" Peterson asked, looking at the man sharply.

"We've been watching the security feeds," the young America private assured him. "It's the blue box. The Doctor just arrived in the Vault."

"Which one?" Rose asked urgently, stepping forward. "What did he look like? Has he left the TARDIS?"

"Uh tall, short brown hair and wearing a leather jacket," the private replied before chuckling. "I always heard his fashion was worse than that."

"Oh no," Rose breathed as that bad feeling suddenly got a whole lot worse.

….

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, his leather jacket scrapping slightly against the doorframe as he looked around. His eyes instantly landed on the head of Cyberman in a case. He moved forward with a stunned and exhausted expression appearing on his face as he slid his hands into his pockets.

"Well now I know I'm getting old," he muttered to no one.

But then he heard a rush of footfalls and looking around the dim gallery. There were a dozen cases all with different bits of aliens and a couple with pieces of technology. On the far side of the room was a door that suddenly slid open. Two lines of guards dressed in body armour and carrying fairly serious weapons for the time and planet rushed in. The guards gathered around him, surrounding him and the TARDIS. That hadn't taken very long. He was about to say something very clever when a young woman burst into the room with a pair of familiar looking men on her heels. Rose Tyler was looking at him with wide, almost panicked brown eyes as the uniformed man with her barked an order for the soldiers surrounding him to stand down.

"This is an intruder," one of them shot back. "We don't answer to you."

"Trust me," the Colonel growled. "You don't want to go there."

"The box just appeared," another of the soldiers said.

"Leave it alone," Rose snapped as she pushed her way between their ranks, her whole body tense and a bit of blonde hair escaping her ponytail. "Stand down and go back to Van Statten."

"You heard her," the Colonel ordered. "This is part of our operation here. He's part of UNIT."

The Doctor tried not to grin as the assembled guards lowered their weapons and filed out of the display room. Rose was nibbling on her bottom lip nervously and looking at the Colonel rather than him. He glanced at the other man and hummed slightly, remembering him as Section 13's alien advisor. It was a bit flattering to know that Section 13 had their own version of him, not as intelligent and not a time traveller, but still.

"Good to see you, Doctor," Swanic greeted as he stepped forward with a glance at Rose. "I don't know if you remember me-"

"Swanic Eder," the Doctor chuckled. "I remember and you were Colonel Peterson, both of Section 13 right?"

"That's correct Doctor," Peterson answered with a nod.

"This isn't a new addition to Area 51 is it?" the Doctor questioned as he looked around the room, trying not to focus too much on Rose who had yet to greet him.

"No, this is the vault of a private collector named Henry Van Statten," Peterson offered with a sigh. "Due to the United Nations new ruling when the distress signal was picked up UNIT and we joined forces to retrieve it from here and hopefully get it home."

"Fantastic," the Doctor answered before looking at Rose who had bene oddly quiet. "Rose?"

"Hello Doctor," Rose greeted as she gave him the best smile she could muster. "Good to see you but we've got this. You can go."

"TARDIS picked up a distress signal," the Doctor observed as he smiled and patted the ship. "I really should see just what is going on."

"That was sweet of her, but may I suggest my graduation next or the day after," Rose countered nervously, half gritting her teeth. "Like I said we've got this."

"You Rose Tyler are a terrible liar," the Doctor chuckled though he looked a bit worried and glanced towards the door. "Just let me help."

He moved forward towards the door leaving Rose feeling very heavy and cold. She looked desperately towards Swanic and Peterson, but they were looking at her in confusion. Her stomach dropped at the realisation that they wouldn't know just how bad the Doctor's history with the Daleks was. They knew he was an enemy of theirs, but not just how far things had gone. The Doctor was looking at her with a slightly hurt expression and Rose wanted to move and hug him, but her feet just didn't seem to be working.

"Follow me, Doctor," Peterson offered even as he looked at her in confusion. "Down here. When you see what we're dealing with… well, you'll understand why we'd like your help."

Following along behind, Rose tried not to hyperventilate. Eve's words about the Time War echoed in her head. The stories of the other companions about the Daleks rattled around in her mind. What was she supposed to do? The Doctor kept glancing at her as the lift descended and Rose tried to think of something clever.

The lift opened by the Van Statten's Cage and Rose swallowed and licked her lips, trying to say something. Nothing came out. Her hands trembled and Rose tried again, but her mouth felt like sandpaper. Swanic looked towards her with a frown as they stepped out before he eyed the guards with worry.

"One moment Doctor," Peterson requested with a nod before he gestured to Swanic.

"What is it Rose?" the Doctor all but demanded as Peterson and Swanic shifted down the hall to speak with the Section 13 guards. "You're acting strange," the Doctor observed. "Almost terrified."

"I really think you should go," Rose forced out through her dry mouth. "I'm glad to see you Doctor, but please just go."

He just stared at her and Rose pleaded with him silently with her eyes. Part of her knew that he wasn't going to just get in the lift and go back to the TARDIS, but he wasn't wrong. She was terrified of how he was going to react.

"Rose?" the Doctor pressed with a deepening frown. "Whatever is in there scares you," he breathed, sounding shocked by the idea.

"Yeah," Rose admitted. "But uh things would be better if you-"

"Doctor," Peterson called with a nervous tone. "We're ready."

"I'll take care of it, Rose," the Doctor promised, reaching out and cupping her cheek for a moment. "It'll be alright."

Before she could say anything, the Doctor took her hand and pulled her after him down to the door into the Cage. Rose eyed the door, it didn't look strong enough to hold a Dalek, but then again neither had those chains in the video. She swallowed. In fact, the Dalek hadn't defended itself at all. As the door slid open the Doctor stepped into the dark space calmly.

"Hello," he greeted in an even voice. "I'm the Doctor. Identify yourself."

"Doc Tor?" a robotic like voice repeated, echoing out into the hall. The sound propelled Rose forward.

"Impossible," she heard the Doctor gasp as she reached the door where two of Section 13's guards were shifting into the room to cover the Doctor.

"The Doctor?" Rose heard the Dalek call as she slipped into the room. "Exterminate! Exterminate!"

The Doctor shifted towards the door, almost colliding with the pair of guards who swung inside and trained their weapons on the alien.

"Those won't help you," the Doctor all but shouted, moving towards the door.

"You are an enemy of the Daleks!" the Dalek announced in a stronger voice. "You must be destroyed!"

Rose gasped as the Dalek's gun arm twitched and the Doctor grabbed her. He pushed her back towards the door, but nothing happened.

"It's not working," the Doctor breathed in surprise, releasing Rose's arm and stepped back into the centre of the room. "Fantastic! Oh, fantastic!" the Doctor laughed with a nasty grin as the Dalek looked down at its weapon. "Powerless! Look at you. The great space dustbin. How does it feel?"

"Doctor!" Rose called, but he completely ignored her.

"Keep back!" the Dalek snapped,

The Doctor shifted so he was only inches from the Dalek, staring into its eyepiece. "What for? What're you going to do to me?" the Doctor asked with a hint of glee in his voice. "If you can't kill, then what are you good for, Dalek? What's the point of you? You're nothing." Then thankfully the Doctor stepped back, but Rose was still frozen in place staring him at shock as her chest tightened painfully. "What the hell are you here for?" the Doctor demanded as he almost paced in front of the Dalek.

"I am waiting for orders."

"What does that mean?" the Doctor asked sharply.

"I am a soldier. I was bred to receive orders."

"Well you're never going to get any," the Doctor laughed bitterly. "Not ever."

"I demand orders!"

"They're never going to come! Your race is dead! You all burnt, all of you. Ten million ships on fire. The entire Dalek race wiped out in one second."

"You lie!"

"I watched it happen. I made it happen," the Doctor shouted back and Rose couldn't help but flinch. He'd completely forgotten that anyone else was in the room.

"You destroyed us?"

"I had no choice," the Doctor answered in a colder, almost dead voice.

"And what of the Time Lords?

"Dead," the Doctor replied dully. "They burnt with you. The end of the last great Time War. Everyone lost."

"And the coward survived."

" Oh, and I caught your little signal," the Doctor hissed and Rose caught the guards shifting uncomfortably in the corner of her eye, but the Doctor still seemed complexly unaware of them. "Help me. Poor little thing. But there's no one else coming 'cause there's no one else left."

"I am alone in the universe."

"Yep," the Doctor answered with a dark note of glee.

"So are you. We are the same."

A thunderous mix of angry and grief took over the Doctor's face as he spun back to the Dalek and snarled, "We're not the same! I'm not!" Then he stopped and for a moment Rose thought he was regaining control. " No, wait. Maybe we are. You're right. Yeah, okay. You've got a point. 'Cause I know what to do. I know what should happen. I know what you deserve. Exterminate."

Before she could move, the Doctor pulled the lever she'd seen in the video by the console. The torture system that Van Statten had constructed in mere days. It hummed and Rose felt her chest constrict with terror. Then the Dalek lit up with electricity as it danced across its armour.

"Have pity!" the Dalek called frantically.

"Why should I? You never did."

The Dalek screamed, the sound jolting Rose out of her shock and hitting her like a punch to the solar plexus. Rushing forward, grabbed the Doctor's arm and began pulling him off the lever. He fought her and Rose must have shouted because a moment later the outside guards rushed in. With their help Rose wrestled him away from the lever, inwardly cursing herself for letting it get that far. The memory of his haunted voice made her lungs constrict further and she shivered as she turned to find the Doctor being restrained by the two guards. The look on his face was fierce, pained and stung of betrayal when he looked at her.

"Doctor!" Rose called carefully, stepping forward to stand between him and the Dalek. "That's enough, come on let's step outside."

When he ignored her, Rose couldn't breathe for a moment of indecision, but then she nodded to the pair of guards. They tugged him towards the door and he weakly fought against them, his eyes jumping between her and the Dalek. The two soldiers shifted uneasily as they pulled the Doctor back into the hall. Rose understood and followed, doing her best to stay between the Doctor and the Dalek while fighting down the bile in her throat. His words were ringing in her head. She'd known on some level, but to hear him announce it was something else.

"You knew," the Doctor breathed, his eyes dropping to meet hers as the Dalek left his sight. "That why you wanted me to leave."

"I didn't want you to have to face a Dalek," Rose admitted softly as she nodded to the guards and they released the Doctor. But she stayed in the doorway, firmly between him and the Dalek.

"You don't get to decide what I need to know!" the Doctor shouted at her, fury making his blue eyes nearly glow. Behind him, the guards moved back to give them some space and Rose saw fear glinting in their eyes.

"I'm your friend," Rose snapped back, her own temper flaring. "I'm allowed to try to protect you! And don't talk to me that way!"

"That thing has to be destroyed right now!" The Doctor yelled, gesturing towards the door again with an almost frantic look. "You know Sarah Jane and Tegan then you have some notion of what it could do to Earth!"

"Geneva has to confirm that order!" Rose told him in a low voice, meeting his gaze head on after taking a deep breath, reminding herself that one of them had to calm. "Unless you're prepared to be a judge, jury and executioner down here." She regretted the words at once when she saw a shattered look pass over his face and softly added, "Seriously Doctor. Officially we're still here to rescue the imprisoned alien. They have to be told what is happening, go and talk to them and explain it. I can't make that call by myself. And maybe you shouldn't be making that call alone." Rose licked her lips and added, "Doctor we can't just say one thing on record and then execute an alien without some kind of conversation on record. Go and talk with the Colonels. They'll connect you with the higher ups."

Something she said seemed to have gotten through the haze that had set in. That moment with his fear and temper flaring had been a rude reminder of who she was dealing with. This Doctor was still bleeding from wounds from the Time War. They hadn't scabbed over like his next life or begun to heal a bit like the life after that.

"Lovely," the Doctor huffed still eyeing Rose coldly. "Higher ups. I don't think much of authority figures."

"There's a shock," Rose laughed weakly.

"Don't touch it," the Doctor barked at Rose.

He glared into the room even though the Dalek was out of sight before his eyes dropped to her. For a moment Rose was certain that he was going to drag her away from the room or yell again, but then he slowly turned and walked out with an unreadable expression on his face. The rage was still simmering in his eyes and at least part of it was now directed at her.

She watched him storm away, several of the guards at the end of the hall jumping out of his way. Colonel Peterson stood at attention as the Doctor all but growled at him and Swanic was staring at him in shock. A soft sigh escaped Rose and she felt some tears prickling at her eyes. Their first fight, she realised. They'd never really had a fight before now. With a deep sigh, Rose stepped back into the room and leaned against the wall opposite of the Dalek.

"Why did you have to be a Dalek?" Rose asked weakly as she slowly turned back to the Dalek, suddenly very aware that it had been watching her. "Anything else," she chuckled miserably with a shake of her head. "Why couldn't you be anything else?"


	19. Dalek: Regenerate Exterminate

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Nineteen: Dalek: Regenerate Exterminate

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

Rose hated waiting even on the best days. She'd never been very good at it and today was not the best day. Waiting in a small room opposite a chained up Dalek that just kept looking at her while the Doctor was off talking to Geneva and facing who knew what demons without her was bloody horrible. This was not a good day. In fact, she was already certain that today was going to go down as one of her worst days right up there with Lake Silencio. When this was over, however it ended, she was never ever coming back to Utah again.

Her right hand was hanging loosely at her side, ready to summon her sword at a moment's notice, but the Dalek hadn't tried to move or fire its weapon since the Doctor left.

"Did you choose Earth?" Rose questioned when the silence became too much. "When you crashed after…"

She trailed off awkwardly and nibbled on her bottom lip for a moment. The Dalek's eyestalk was still fixed on her face and Rose noted uncomfortably that its height lined up almost perfectly with hers.

"No," the Dalek replied slowly, surprising Rose as she hadn't expected a response. "I did not select my destination."

"Might have been from the Web of Time," Rose murmured to herself. Earth was the only one of the three major metaphysical planets left. There were others of course, but Earth, Skaro and Gallifrey had been the most critical ones according to the Guardians. "Suppose it doesn't matter."

"You are an associate of the Doctor?" the Dalek questioned and Rose felt a flicker of worry in her stomach at the question.

"I work for UNIT," she offered honestly. "And he is still the Head Scientific Advisor."

Rose doubted if the Dalek thought it was really that simple. He was their long time enemy and at this point, they really had to have caught onto his habit of travelling with humans. From his first encounter with them on Ian and Barbara's second trip in the TARDIS to Ace's destruction of a Dalek with a rocket launcher, human companions had been nearby during some big moments. The Dalek just watched her silently and Rose struggled to remain still under the watchful gaze.

Then there were loud almost frantic voices out in the hall that made Rose straighten up. She hesitated to turn her attention away from the Dalek and thus watched the doorway out of the corner of her eye. Van Statten stepped into the room with two of his aides and a group of four guards who made the room suddenly very crowded.

"Van Statten," Rose half greeted, half growled out. "Get out!"

"What happened to taking the alien away?" Van Statten asked smugly as he strode forward. "Bit more complicated than that huh?"

"Stay away from it," Rose ordered as she moved closer to him as he strode over to the Dalek. "It's dangerous."

"It hasn't done anything for fifty years," Van Statten scoffed again and his two aides laughed at her expense though they did look nervous. "I remembered where I know you from," Van Statten informed her with a chuckle. "Marion Beckett wasn't it?"

"Wondered how long it would take you."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but as nice as you looked in that dress I do like you better in jeans," Van Statten leered with a smirk. "And a kickboxer? You must have great abs at this point."

"So being a pig is consistent for you," Rose remarked with a raised eyebrow. "Lovely."

"Ah you English, sticks up your asses," Van Statten chuckled before turning his attention back to the Dalek. "I heard one of your soldiers say that it talked, had a conversation."

"That doesn't concern you," Rose insisted as she reached out and tried to pull Van Statten away from the Dalek. "You already tortured it so get the hell out of here."

"This is still my vault doll," Van Statten sneered.

"But the Dalek is not yours," Rose countered, once again having to resist the urge to punch him. "Now get out."

"My men told me that something just appeared in one of the rooms," Van Statten pressed. "And some strange man just stepped out of it. How does a person manage that fifty floors down?"

"Don't poke at things that are out of your league of understanding," Rose told him, shifting forward to keep herself between him and the lever. The Dalek's eyestalk was shifting between the pair of them. "Go back to your office and wait until we're done."

"I'm one of the greatest minds in the world," Van Statten scolded, his features twisting into an ugly frown. "And you're just a little girl?"

"That's you've tried and failed to seduce," Rose reminded him. "Are you admitting to some other crime that I can get you locked up for?"

"Watch it," Van Statten growled, all humour gone from his face. "You have no idea what I can do to you. I'm Henry Van Statten. I buy presidents! I decide who the world works. I touch the stars!"

"You live off of scavenging the tragedies of others," Rose replied sharply, gesturing towards the Dalek. "You lock anything you don't understand underground and torture sentient beings! You don't know anything about the stars."

Van Statten reached out and grabbed her as his guards shifted to point their weapons at her. At the doorway, the UNIT and Section 13 men suddenly moved. Rose raised her free left hand up for a moment, gesturing for them to stay calm as she met Van Statten's eyes.

"The Dalek is going to be leaving," Rose told him in as calm a voice as she could muster even as a guilty voice reminded her that she shouldn't be taking her frustration out on Van Statten, no matter how much of a slimy creep he was.

"Fine," Van Statten huffed, also seeming to move past his anger for the most part.

But then he shoved Rose to the side, twisting the arm he had a grip on just enough to throw her off balance. She was too close to the Dalek, she realised as her feet tangled up. Falling forward, Rose could only gasp in alarm as her hands collided with the Dalek. She shrieked in pain as a sharp burning sensation seared across both her hands as she tried to detangle her feet. Her ankle was throbbing, but she righted herself and wretched her hands off the Dalek's casing. The words of the Doctor not to touch it echoed in Rose's mind.

On the Dalek's casing were two bright glowing handprints and a sense of icy dread filled Rose's stomach. She should never have stayed in the room. The Dalek suddenly became more animated and pulled at the chains causing them to shift and the metal to begin cracking.

"Genetic material extrapolated," the Dalek announced. "Initiate cellular reconstruction!"

The chains snapped and Van Statten tried to move away, but they were all too close. Ignoring her for the moment, the Dalek moved forward and advanced on Van Statten who was watching it with a mixture of glee and fear. Roe began to shout a warning, but before Van Statten could say or do anything the Dalek lifted its sucker up over his face. A muffled scream escaped Van Staten and his guards opened fire on the Dalek.

The bullets collided with the Dalek's metal armour but had no effect as Van Statten's whole body convulsed. Rose tried to move and summon her sword, but the bullets kept bouncing around the room, forcing her to stay down, helpless to do anything, but watch Van Statten twist. The sucker released from his face a moment later and his body collapsed to the ground.

"Condition red! Condition red!" one of Van Statten's guards called into an intercom.

Rose crouched by the lever as the sound of gunfire rang all around her. The Dalek and now the guards, a mixture of Van Statten's men and UNIT guards were all opening fire. She looked towards the door with the keypad next to it and grimaced. That wouldn't hold it in for long. Nothing would and the guards began to fall back as the Dalek rolled towards them. A braver one stayed in place only to be suffocated with the sucker arm. Slowly, Rose stood up to follow the Dalek out of the small prison room.

Moving out the door and forcing the guards further back into the antechamber, the Dalek ignored them after dropping the now dead guard. It rolled over to a terminal as Rose kept following. The Dalek moved to the terminal and thrust its sucker arm forward. The screen cracked and she watched in horror as the Dalek's metal armour began to glow and pulse. Glancing towards the doorway out, Rose felt her heart jump to her throat. She knew what the Doctor would want her to do, but right now frantic and terrified guards just kept firing on the Dalek and Rose shifted into the far corner to stay out of the gunfire.

Her palms were still burning with pain and she eyed the still softly glowing spots on the Dalek's armour as it began to knit itself back together. Then the Dalek spun around its weapon arm at the ready. Rose began to shout a warning, but the Dalek gave a cry of Exterminate and the first man dropped as his skeleton appeared with a flash. Another dropped a moment later while frantically reloading his pistol. The last just kept firing, stepping back beyond the threshold of the door. The two surviving aides were already running down the hall screaming, but the Dalek was now firmly between Rose and the door once again.

UNIT and Section 13 guards were lining up outside the door with their firearms raised. Even from her position, Rose could see the bullets were vanishing in some sort of field surrounding the Dalek. Nothing was getting through at all, but maybe her weapon could. Fear clutched at Rose's chest, but this was her fault. Maybe she hadn't meant to touch the Dalek, Van Statten had caused that, but she shouldn't have gotten so close in the first place.

"Fall back!" Rose shouted from behind the Dalek. "Fall back and seal the lower levels!" She ordered hoping that they'd listen.

A couple of the UNIT men began to shift away from the door, narrowing avoiding extermination beams. Summoning her sword, Rose threw all of her weight down on it. She felt the shield resist the blow, but it buckled a little under the force. The Dalek stopped moving, distracted by the sudden threat from behind. The soldiers were watching in horror and Rose grunted, trying to force the sword through. A low hum filled the room and Rose's hand began to shake as the Dalek pushed more power into the shield.

A wave of pressure hit Rose in the chest, knocking her back against the wall. She hit it with a grunt and dropped her sword which returned to bracelet form in less than a second. For a moment her head was spinning, but she could see the Dalek moving towards the door. She tried to remember the layout beyond that point, but it was just a series of corridors and stairs in a tightly stacked maze. Nothing that would hold the Dalek down here until a plan could be made by the Doctor and Geneva.

Frantically, Rose pulled her sonic pen roughly out from her bag and pointed it at the electronic lock by the door. It beeped in front of the Dalek and began to descend right in front of it. Part of her realised that she was trying to lock herself in with a Dalek, but she could hear voices echoing outside and the bodies now strew around the room told her what would happen if the Dalek went any further.

She didn't know. Rose wondered if her timeline would just unravel here and now. Athena, Astra and her Doctors flashed before her eyes and she felt completely cold like she'd been dropped in ice. Yet there was still a Dalek here and Rose tossed her sonic pen past the Dalek and outside beyond the falling door. As the door sealed Rose exhaled even as her hands trembled. Even the combination lock wouldn't open it now.

As the door shut with a metallic thud the Dalek spun back her, its eyestalk lowered to fix on her position still by the ground. Rose began to shift to stand, but it was difficult as she was unwilling to take her eyes off the Dalek at all. She wanted to say something brave and clever, but her mouth was too dry.

"You will open the door," the Dalek demanded.

"I will not," Rose answered in a shaky voice.

The Dalek turned its weapon arm towards her and Rose braced herself as the cry of Exterminate echoed in the small room.

…..

The Doctor was trying not to lose his temper like he had down in the Cage. The distance between him and the Dalek was helping a little as he tried to calmly explain the situation to Geneva. Lethbridge-Stewart was not present and that fact wasn't helping his temperament. A sudden flickering of the lights and a cry of alarm from outside cut the conversation short as someone shouted about power being drained.

"Sir! The Dalek is on the move!" a soldier shouted to Roberts as he rushed in. "We aren't sure how, but reports are coming up from the Cage."

"Doesn't matter how " the Doctor snapped, anger flaring in him with certainty of how. Rose had touched it, he'd told her not to and she'd touched it. DNA of a time traveller. "We have to stop it, here and now. If we don't then millions if not billions will die."

"The Cage has been sealed," one of the privates on the nearby computer reported. "But energy levels are dropping all throughout the west coast."

The Doctor abandoned the conversation with Geneva as the link was lost and rushed over to the computer. He leaned over the young female private who had brought up a map of the region.

"It's downloading," the Doctor announced as both Colonels rushed over to join him.

"Downloading what?" Peterson asked urgently.

"Sir, the entire West Coast has gone down," the private informed them nervously.

"It's not just energy. That Dalek just absorbed the entire internet. It knows everything."

"Who is down there?" Roberts asked as he looked up at the soldier who'd reported it.

"Tyler sir," the man replied uneasily. "The report we received said that she was trapped behind the Dalek and ordered them to fall back. The door of the Cage closed a moment later behind them." He swallowed and added, "They have her sonic pen."

"She's locked herself in with it," the Doctor whispered in horror, half collapsing against the table. "If she used her sonic then even with the right combination the Dalek can't open that door."

"We could still open it from up here," the private reminded him weakly, but no one said anything.

…

The thin laser reflected off of the blade of Rose's sword, but she struggled to keep it steady even as it began to burn a hole in the ceiling. Raising her other hand, Rose forced it up against the flat part of her sword, trying to keep it steady. The pressure of the laser slowly forced it into her palm and Rose vaguely wondered how long it would take before even her own sword sliced into her flesh.

Then it stopped firing only to resume a moment later. Rose again caught the blast, still pinned against the wall and unable to do anything. The sword was vibrating in her hands and Rose dearly hoped at the White Guardian had made sure the blade could stand up to Dalek fire even if it couldn't cut through their shields.

"Extermination failed," the Dalek announced as it ceased firing, but Rose kept the blade at the ready as her heart pounded in her ears. "What are you?"

"I'm Rose Tyler," she forced out. "I'm a Star Knight."

The Dalek did not reply to her statement and Rose shifted uneasily as the cool blue end of the eyestalk stayed fixed on her.

"You healed yourself?" Rose tried again. "How?"

"Extrapolating the biomass of a time traveller regenerated me," the Dalek informed her, still just staring at her.

"So now what?" Rose questioned. "You're regenerated. Now, what will you do?"

"The Daleks survive in me," it announced. "I shall follow the Primary Order, the Dalek instinct to destroy, to conquer."

"But why?" Rose pressed. "Why do that? What's the point? Why?"

The Dalek didn't answer and instead fired again, but Rose was ready and the beam bounced off the smooth surface of her blade. Again it stopped and they stared at each other. Rose had a strange sense that it was debating something, turning something over in its head, but she had no idea of what to do with that.

"I feel your fear," the Dalek announced with a hint of panic.

"Are you surprised?" Rose questioned as she eyed the Dalek and slowly pushed herself off the ground.

"Daleks do not fear," the Dalek said frantically. "Must not fear." Rose gasped as the Dalek suddenly fired fast shots on either side of her, striking the bulkhead door. "You gave me life. What else have you given me? I am contaminated."

Shifting forward, Rose reached towards the Dalek before the action even fully processed in her mind. She stopped her hand just before it reached the Dalek's shell and swallowed thickly.

"Calm down," she told it softly, having to force the words out. "Just try to calm down. It'll be okay."

It stared at her again and that creepy sense of being judged weighed on Rose's shoulders. Licking her lips, she wondered how much the Doctor knew about what had happened, what was happening down here. The idea didn't give her hope, instead, it made her feel ill. She was tempted to reach for her phone, but she had no number to call him on. Then the Dalek spun away from her.

"What are you doing?" Rose questioned as the Dalek turned back to the terminal.

"Restore visual relay functions," the Dalek intoned as it put its sucker back on the computer.

"What for?"

"You are the Doctor's associate," the Dalek reminded her though there was an unusual note in its voice. "He will open the door from master controls."

…..

Across the room, the screen suddenly turned on again drawing the Doctor's attention. His eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of Rose standing next to the Dalek in the small antechamber she'd locked them both in.

"Open the bulkhead or Rose Tyler dies," the Dalek announced coldly as it and Rose stared at each other.

Staring at the screen the Doctor couldn't believe it. His two hearts jumped painfully in his chest. She didn't look injured, but there she was trapped with a Dalek. The stuff of nightmares.

"You're alive!" the Doctor gasped, his voice cracking to a higher tone than he knew it was capable of.

"Won't get rid of me that easily," Rose offered, sounding tired, but trying to be brave for him.

"I thought you were dead," the Doctor confessed as the pain in his voice became clearer. Yet there was nothing he could do about it.

"Open the bulkhead!" the Dalek ordered again.

"Don't do it!" Rose shouted back, her voice stronger than before.

"What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love?" the Dalek asked in that blasted familiar machine voice.

He was moving before he could even think about it. There was noise around him as the various UNIT forces tried to talk to him, but words were rattling around in his head. Nine billion languages all echoing the word love and repeating the Dalek's question. A Dalek had seen… how could that be? He'd pressed the button before any other thought entered into his mind, a cold numb shock setting in. He'd done many things over the centuries to protect companions, made a lot of stupid decisions to protect them, but this was different. This hurt so much more.

This wasn't going to go away. This 'thing' wasn't going to fade, was it? That was terrifying, the realisation that no amount of running or delaying travelling with her would help. Breaking his word and leaving her behind wouldn't help either. His knees shook, but then the painful fact that it might not matter cut through the haze. Rose was still next to a Dalek. It might not matter at all. Was that the reason he'd help her and watch over in future incarnations? Some desperate need to see her, to protect her while he still could? Was he doomed to be the protector of a too beautiful, too kind, too smart and all too human girl for the rest of his lives as the only way he could ever be close to her? A fallen guardian angel of a woman killed by the last Dalek.

He'd known from the first time they'd met that she was special. A little too brave and clever even after Odd Bob frightened her. And she'd just grown up into someone utterly fantastic. And he'd… fallen. That's how humans described it. Too old, too damaged and too dark and he'd fallen for a young, kind, optimistic and oh so bright human girl. And now thanks to all that she was trapped with a Dalek. It was terrifying and he turned back to the screen to see the Dalek and Rose vanish from the vault room and into the hallway.

"What do we do now sir?" Captain Parker asked, his voice strained and confused.

The Doctor couldn't blame him. He'd just watched him trade billions of lives for one blonde girl. Maybe, that is if the Dalek didn't just kill her now. He inhaled deeply and waited for some stroke of genius to come.


	20. Dalek: Confrontation

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty: Dalek: Confrontation

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Thank you so much for the wonderful comments! Many of you made me smile and I was truly touched by your comments on my style and ability. This rewrite has been wonderful to write and I have deeply enjoyed it.

Remember that if you enjoy my stuff I would deeply appreciate you checking out my original fiction: The Iron Soul Series by J.M. Briggs.

…

"Does the Dalek have any weaknesses?" Colonel Roberts pressed as the Doctor kept staring at the screen. "Doctor! What can we do! Salt Lake City isn't far from here!"

The voice was enough to pull him back to the present. Rose wasn't dead yet, the Dalek wasn't free on the surface yet and he was dead yet. Too many yets, but he could work with it. He had to work with it. Rose was still alive and he wasn't willing to surrender to being anyone's guardian angel just yet.

"Not to any human weapons," the Doctor replied.

"Do you have anything in the TARDIS that can help?" Peterson questioned.

"Not anymore," the Doctor answered with a flash of anger. He shouldn't have disposed of all the weapons that his TARDIS had been fitted with. She'd never been a War TARDIS, but his rank in the war-

"Sirs," the dark haired woman at the computer called. "According to the records a new shipment of artefacts came in late yesterday," she offered uneasily. "It says there are a couple of suspected weapons. They are in the processing rooms. There may be something there we can use."

"Here's the route," another one of the soldiers offered, still keeping his distance from the Doctor. "You'd have to go down the stairs."

"The Dalek will be here in no time," the Doctor huffed even as he traced the layout plans.

"We'll try to slow it down," Colonel Peterson informed him sternly. The Doctor looked up at the man with a hint of both respect and pity. He knew their weapons were useless. "Just stop that thing before it gets to the surface." Peterson glanced at Roberts who nodded and tugged at his radio.

"All personal into the bunker at once, clear the surface," Roberts ordered.

The Doctor watched the men leave the room and as the soldiers began rushing down the stairs after them. His eyes dropped to the layout as he calculated the most likely point that the Dalek would intercept with them. It wouldn't be long. He didn't have much time.

…

Thankfully Daleks didn't set speed records was all Rose could think as she walked along beside the Dalek at a sedate pace. Still, she couldn't help the growing unease churning in her stomach. Things had taken an odd turn and the Dalek's words about fear were ringing in her head. She didn't have her sword at the ready and yet it was no longer firing. The Doctor had opened the door already so why was she still alive.

Nibbling on her lower lip, Rose considered the Dalek out of the corner of her eye. It wasn't matching up with the stories, but she knew better than to dismiss those so what was happening here. Was the Dalek being affected by the burden of knowing it was the only one left or was this something else?

The hallway opened into a large almost hanger-like space and Rose's eyes widened in horror as she saw row after row of men in UNIT, Section 13 and even the black dressed guards of Van Statten's lined up with their weapons at the ready. Weapons that Rose knew were absolutely useless. The only good thing was that the Doctor was nowhere in sight which as even Colonel Peterson and Colonel Roberts up on a catwalk above pointed weapons at the Dalek was not reassuring.

"Don't," Rose shouted as she moved ahead of the Dalek before she could think about it. "Stand down."

"Tyler, get out of the way," Peterson shouted down to her.

"You will be Exterminated," the Dalek announced to the assembled forces, but it did not fire on Rose to get her out of the way.

"Why?" Rose demanded, spinning on her heel to face the Dalek, coming face to face once again with its eyestalk. "They can't hurt you. Not with those weapons so why kill them?"

"I am a Dalek. They must be Exterminated."

"Why?" Rose asked softly before swallowing and repeating in a louder voice, "Why?"

The Dalek's eyestalk shifted slightly, narrowing in on her face, but Rose didn't flinch back. She kept herself squarely between the Dalek and the troops. It hadn't killed her yet and maybe it would keep wanting her alive a bit longer.

"My function is to kill," the Dalek replied in that horrible voice.

"Why?" Rose pressed, motioning behind her back for the troops to remain calm. "Why?"

"Cease asking that question," the Dalek demanded and Rose thought she heard an undertone of frustration in the Dalek's voice. It was the same tone as its rant about fear earlier. "Cease questioning!"

"No," Rose breathed as confidence began to bloom in her chest. Something was happening, she had no idea what, but something was different. "I'm human," she told the Dalek passionately. "I'm never going to stop asking that question."

"It is the Dalek way," the Dalek replied, its gun twitching towards one of the nearest soldiers, but on instinct, Rose shifted to stay in front of it.

"Why?" she pressed again, reaching towards the Dalek and tentatively touching the small weapon array. The Dalek's eyestalk was focused on Rose as she gently placed her hand over it, almost like she was putting her hand on a person's. "Colonel Peterson Colonel Roberts," she called out without moving her eyes off the Dalek's eyestalk. "Fall back. Do not attack the Dalek, return to the surface and secure the area."

'Tyler I can't do that," Colonel Peterson announced clearly.

"Oh, so you and your men are going to attack the Dalek here with Earth weapons that can't harm it?" Rose asked harshly, still not turning around, but feeling stronger as the Dalek quietly watched her. "It isn't attacking you or me, but I can't promise anything if you attack it."

"Tyler-" Peterson protected and the Dalek made a sharp movement towards the voice.

Rose moved again, keeping herself between the Dalek and the assembled troops. "Do it!" She called, feeling thankful when her voice didn't waver. "Trust me and just go. Secure the area around the bunker. You can't do anything here and now."

"I must exterminate them!" The Dalek insisted, but Rose shook her head.

"No, you don't. You don't have to do this anymore," Rose insisted even she heard people begin to move towards the door. Breathing a sigh of relief, Rose reached out her right hand and placed it on the side of the Dalek's head. She was aware that she wouldn't be able to protect herself from the laser but shoved the thought aside. "It's okay," she offered gently as if she was speaking with a child. "It's okay. You don't have to kill anyone. What do you want?"

"I want…" the Dalek trailed off and Rose shifted her hand, brushing her thumb over the hot metallic surface. "I want freedom."

….

They didn't move until the last of the footfalls had faded away. The Dalek was quiet and Rose kept her hand gently resting against the Dalek's shell. Thankfully this time it didn't burn and she thought back to what the Dalek had said about regenerating herself. That must be it, she realised with a barely contained gasp. The Dalek had used her time traveller DNA, but now it had her DNA and all the humanness that went with it.

"Not the lift," Rose told the Dalek. "Too many people around it. The stairs can take us to the upper levels."

"As you command," the Dalek replied calmly, following her towards the side corridor that connected to the stairs.

Offering it a weak smile, Rose glanced back towards the lift. She desperately hoped that the Colonels would listen to her and recognise that setting up lines of men to die wasn't a good idea. Then again, she didn't even understand what was happening. She knew what she hoped for, but none of the stories she'd been told had prepared her for this. As she reached the stairs, Rose turned and watched the Dalek begin to rise off the ground. Inhaling deeply, Rose started to climb the stairs as she made a point to ignore the signs marking what level they were on. She really didn't want to know how much further she needed to go.

…

The Doctor's hands found the control points easily on the large Mortivic firearm. The weight was heavy even for his large frame, but it could get through the Dalek's shield. His hands were shaking a little even as he forced a grin.

"Oh, yes. Lock and load."

The weapon hummed in his hands and he ignored the two soldiers at the door. They were listening to their radios, but he ignored them. Instead, he rushed out of the door, calling after him. "You two get out! Stay away from the Dalek!"

"But sir!" one of them called after him. "Doctor there's something-"

He didn't stop to listen. The Dalek was on its way out and he had to stop it.

…

They were on the upper floor now, but away from the main entrance. This was a series of storage and staging rooms for incoming supplies. There were piles of boxes everywhere and it made Rose very nervous as they left the stairwell behind. The sudden rush of footfalls ahead of them made Rose tense up in worry. She'd thought that they'd gotten past the UNIT forces and Van Statten's men, but there were more people up ahead. Had one of the Colonels changed their minds?

Rose frowned, they weren't near the entrance and fear tinged at the back of her mind. Had someone snuck in while UNIT forces were coming inside? There was certainly a lot of places to hide in the bunker. No sooner than she thought that than a small group of people in all black swept out from behind the boxes and out from the crannies, all of them training their weapons on her. She saw no emblems on the uniforms but had a strong sinking feeling that she knew who they were.

"It's Tyler," one of the men announced as he stepped a bit closer to her. "Execute sir?"

"She'd be more useful as a hostage," another man responded gruffly. "Our priority is to recover OMEGA-5."

"But our orders are to execute on sight," another argued and Rose took a hesitant step back.

"Execute?" the Dalek repeated the fire back in its voice. "Execute?"

"What is that?" one of the men questioned, shifting his weapon towards the Dalek. "Isn't that the alien Van Statten just bought? Thought it couldn't move or speak."

"Easy," Rose called out bringing her hands up in a gesture of surrender as she looked nervously towards the Dalek. "Just calm down."

"Follow priority orders," another one of the masked men huffed, shifting his weapon at Rose. "Tyler is a threat, execute."

Rose gasped in alarm and the sounds of dozens of small explosions echoed in the concrete corridor. Her body braced itself despite the absurdity of that only for nothing to hit her. Opening the eyes she hadn't realised she'd closed Rose found the Dalek hovering in front of her with its force field on. Crushed and useless bullets were scattered all around.

"Exterminate!" The Dalek called frantically before Rose could try to calm it. "You shall not harm Rose Tyler! Exterminate!"

Rapid Dalek blasts allowed Rose to see flashes of the seven skeletons before their bodies fell dead to the floor. Relief, disgust and anger flashed through Rose and fought for dominance. The Dalek landed back on the floor and spun to face her. As she gazed into the eyestalk all Rose could think was that this was not how she'd imagined the day going.

"You are unharmed?" the Dalek asked, shocking Rose further.

"Yeah," she answered weakly with a nod.

"We are near the surface." The Dalek spun back and rolled forward past the fallen bodies.

Rose paused to look down at them for a moment. There were no insignias, but based on what they had said she was certain they were Eclipse. Van Statten had probably called some of them after his other contacts couldn't stop the combined clout of UNIT and Section 13. They'd been sent to retrieve something… OMEGA-5. The Dalek stopped at the door and looked back towards her, waiting for her. Rose stepped around the bodies and followed the Dalek into the next room, noting that a hole had blasted in the roof.

It explained how they got in and the Dalek quickly rolled over towards the hole with its weapon raised. Rose didn't even flinch as the Dalek blasted at the ceiling again to expand the hole. Rubble and dirt poured down in front of them and Rose wondered just where in the honeycomb of tunnels they were. Sunlight spilt down on them, straight onto the Dalek's upraised eyepiece.

"Here you are," Rose sighed as she looked over to the Dalek. "Can you feel the sunlight?"

"How does it feel?" the Dalek questioned confirming Rose's fears about its armour. Pain stimulus to make it fight harder, but nothing else.

"Warm," Rose offered, trying to explain how the beam of sunlight felt on her skin. "Energising and… happy."

Then with a soft hiss, the middle section of the Dalek's armour began to open. Rose gaped at it, she'd heard that the Dalek's were really small aliens inside what basically were tanks, but this was unexpected. The dome shifted open and revealed a small mutant with a dozen tendrils within. One of its tendril's reached out of the armour and with a soft smile, Rose gently raised her hand to touch it. Probably the first physical contact this interior creature had ever had, her mind provided and a wave of sadness and anger hit her.

"You are sad."

"A bit," Rose agreed. "You didn't know how sunlight felt."

"I have killed."

"Doesn't mean I can't feel compassion for you," Rose answered honestly, surprised at the tears trying to sting her eyes.

This was messy. This was a Dalek. An engine of hate and war. A nightmare that haunted so many of her and the Doctor's friends, the species that had cost the man she loved his planet and yet here she was feeling so much pity her chest hurt.

"It is… weakness," the Dalek responded, sounding in pain.

"No it isn't," Rose replied softly. "Never mistake compassion for weakness. It is what makes the weak strong."

"Irrational."

"A bit yeah," Rose agreed with a weak smile. "But when was the universe ever rational?"

"Get out of the way," the familiar voice of the Doctor suddenly ordered them. "Rose, get out of the way now!"

Rose spun around only to gap in alarm as she found the Doctor holding a huge black weapon of some kind and pointing it right at her and the Dalek. There was an enraged spark in his eye and his gaze swept over the bodies around them.

"No," Rose gasped shaking her head. "I won't let you do this."

"That thing will destroy Earth! Kill billions of people!" the Doctor insisted. "It can do it, Rose, you know that!"

Swallowing, Rose raised her chin and shifted so she was squarely in front of the Dalek and met the Doctor's eyes. "It's not the one pointing the gun at me."

"I've got to do this," the Doctor insisted and Rose wasn't sure who he was really talking to as his face twisted with barely repressed rage and pain. "I've got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people!" He was almost shouting at her as the weapon shook slightly. "I've got nothing left."

"Doctor," Rose called softly. "You've got me." His eyes finally shifted to her and Rose allowed herself to take a breath before slowly shifting to the side. "Look at it, Doctor. Really look at it. What do you see?"

She allowed the Doctor to see the opening casing with a Dalek bathing in the warm sunlight. Rose looked back at him and saw his facial features relaxing into confusion as the rage began to recede. Her heart rate normalised a little, but she kept her eyes on him.

"What's it doing?" the Doctor questioned in near shock.

"Feeling the sunlight," Rose answered gently. "It hasn't before." Disbelief crossed his face and Rose pressed on. "The UNIT soldiers, Section 13 and even Van Statten's guards are all alive," Rose insisted quickly, debating if she should move towards the Doctor. "You must have followed us up the stairs and missed them, but I asked the Dalek to spare them and it did." She gestured to the scattered bodies even as she felt ill. "This lot… they're Eclipse I think. They ambushed us and tried to kill me. The Dalek protected me from them, Doctor."

"That's not possible," the Doctor grumbled, eyeing the Dalek in a blend of confusion and anger.

"Why am I still alive then?" Rose pressed as tears began to gather in her eyes. "The Dalek is changing Doctor. It's feeling now. What about you, Doctor?" she asked him around a painful lump in her throat. "What are you changing into?"

His grip loosened on the firearm and it dropped to his side. Rose almost started to cry at the blend of horror, shock and grief that took over his face. Her heart hurt and she could only fathom how he felt. Tears began to gather in her eyes.

"I couldn't-" the Doctor started to say before trailing off. "I wasn't-" He stopped again and turned his gaze to her, begging her with his eyes to understand. "Oh, Rose. They're all dead."

"Why do we survive?" the Dalek asked, drawing Rose's attention back to it.

"I don't know," the Doctor answered simply, the fight and rage gone from his voice.

"I am the last of the Daleks," the Dalek announced weakly, sounding in pain.

"You're not even that," the Doctor replied. "Rose did more than regenerate you. You've absorbed her DNA. You're mutating."

"Into what?"

"Something new," the Doctor answered. After a long paused he added, "I'm sorry."

"Isn't that better?" Rose heard herself ask, unable to hear the defeat in both their voices.

"Not for a Dalek," the Doctor told her even as his eyes remained fixed on the Dalek.

"I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness. Rose, give me orders. Order me to die," the Dalek all but begged as Rose turned back to it.

"But…." Rose trailed off and licked her lips as she reached out and touched the Dalek's tiny mutated arm. "Can't you try?" she pleaded even as she felt the Doctor's gaze on her back.

"I cannot be like you," the Dalek replied softly. "Order my destruction!" the Dalek demanded before softly adding, "Please."

"Okay," Rose whispered with a flinch. "Dalek, destroy yourself."

"Are you frightened, Rose Tyler?"

"Yes," Rose admitted. "I am."

"So am I," the Dalek agreed. "Exterminate."

Its eye closed and the casing began to reseal. Rose carefully backed away, avoiding the bodies and rushing over to the Doctor's side. He was completely still and watching the Dalek with a slack jaw as it began to rise into the air. The orbs on its lower armour suddenly released from the shell and formed a sphere around it. There was a flash of light and static as the Dalek created a field around itself. Then it exploded, filling the sphere with fire and light before every trace of it vanished.

"Doctor?" Rose called softly, hesitantly as she touched his arm. "You okay?"

Then he turned his head sharply to look at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. The gun dropped to the ground with a clatter and he swept her up in a bone crushing hug. Closing her eyes tightly in relief, Rose wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held onto him for dear life. If she started to cry and his hands shook, neither of them pointed it out. They stayed like that until UNIT forces came rushing into the room and the Doctor slowly released her.

…

Standing next to the TARDIS, it was all Rose could do not to collapse against the beloved blue box. The Doctor had stayed next to her but had been silent all throughout her explanation of the Dalek's suicide. If the Colonels knew it was a highly edited version, they said nothing on the matter and Rose was grateful. Her news about the intruders was met with anger and embarrassment, but also curiosity about OMEGA-5. Sadly Van Statten was dead and couldn't answer any questions about it or his connection to Eclipse. Rose knew that she'd have to deal with that soon, but today she had nothing left.

"I'm sorry for not telling you about the Dalek," Rose told the Doctor softly, drawing his blue eyes back to her. "I was trying to protect you, but… I'm sorry Doctor."

"I understand why you did," the Doctor replied thickly. "It's… not a good subject for me." He paused and Rose could almost hear the wheels turning. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"I forgive you," Rose assured him quickly. "Do you forgive me?"

The Doctor met her eyes and Rose almost gasped. There was a very familiar shine in them, but also a hint of pained resignation. "I… I think that I'll always forgive you," the Doctor admitted and Rose barely held back tears or a wide grin. "You," the Doctor swallowed audibly. "You pitied it?"

"Yeah," Rose admitted as she leaned against the TARDIS, giving into her exhaustion. "I did." As his blue eyes widened, Rose managed a weak shrug. "I'm weird."

He almost smiled and Rose shifted over to take his right hand. His left hand came up and touched the TARDIS gently. There was an empty expression on his face that Rose decided she hated; it was worse than him in pain or angry. It frightened her.

"A little piece of home," the Doctor intoned. "Better than nothing."

"But it's over now," Rose told him gently, trying to find the right words. Somehow it had been easier to comfort a Dalek then it was him at this moment.

"Yeah, I'm the only one left. I win," the Doctor half cheered darkly. "How about that?"

"The Dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too," Rose offered weakly.

"I'd know. In here," the Doctor told her as he tapped his temple. Rose inwardly flinched, she'd known he was telepathic, but now it took on a whole new weight. No wonder he'd been so happy and overwhelmed when Astra had established telepathic communication with him. "Feels like there's no one."

"There's me," Rose told him, tightening her grip on his hand. "You've got me, Doctor," Rose promised him with wide certain eyes.

He turned to look at her, a soft glow in his eyes. Something familiar to Rose from her other Doctors, but not this one. Had he been a later incarnation she knew he would have pulled her close and kissed her, but instead, he just swallowed and looked at her uneasily. She wanted to kiss him, lean up and press their lips together to reassure him, but he was already ready to run. He wasn't ready for them yet and while that hurt, Rose found herself accepting it.

"Tell you what," Rose announced as she struggled to hold back a rush of sorrow and tears. "Enough of school. Let's hit London for my stuff and see what we can find."

"What about university?" the Doctor questioned with a new strange expression appearing on his face.

"You're more important," Rose answered honestly.

He stared at her again, his mouth a tiny bit ajar. Rose wasn't certain how long they stood like that, just looking at each other, but suddenly someone behind her cleared their throat.

"I'm sorry Miss Tyler… uh Agent Thorn," Colonel Roberts called. "Geneva on the phone for you."

"Uh just give me a second," Rose told the Doctor with a dramatic eye roll. "We put everyone on alert. I guess they need to confirm… everything."

"Yeah," the Doctor agreed softly.

She leaned up to kiss his cheek quickly, giving him a large if a bit forced smile before she turned towards Colonel Roberts. He nodded towards the doorway and Rose followed him out into the hallway. There was a large radio unit set up and Rose chuckled softly as she grabbed the headset and greeted Geneva.

Rose froze as she heard the familiar grinding sound of the TARDIS dematerializing. Her eyes closed and she inhaled deeply to control the wave of hurt that flashed through her. Closing her eyes, she ignored the phone for a moment and just listened as the last echoes of the TARDIS vanished.

"Yes I'm still here," Rose said a moment later into the phone. "No, I like the plan to disintegrate the artefacts. Given that Eclipse was interested in something here that's the safest idea." She paused and then sighed, "No I don't think I need to be here for that. Between Doctor Matthews and UNIT forces, it will get done. How soon can you get me on the plane back to London? I'm done with Utah."

….Coming Soon….

A blue public police phone box stood in the corner of the room and Rose's eyes were instantly drawn to it. She began to smile before the door on the far side of the room opened and a UNIT Captain strolled in with a younger looking man. He was tall, just about six feet with handsome features and slightly messed short brown hair. He was dressed in dark blue jeans, a button down shirt with folded up sleeves and a waistcoat. When he spotted her, his brown eyes warmed and he smiled.

"Ah Miss Tyler," the UNIT Captain greeted her with a salute. "As you can see the Doctor has joined us."

But the man that was looking at her was not the Doctor. Rose stared into his eyes, but they were all wrong. Far too young and lacking the weight of age that always clouded his gaze. This man was not the Doctor.


	21. Dark Minds: Kollwitzplatz

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty-One: Dark Minds: Kollwitzplatz

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose Marion Tyler was breathing heavily as she kicked the hanging sand bag in front of her. Outside the gym there was a thin dusting of snow as the December weather settled in. Rose's long tank top was damp with sweat and beginning to cling to her as she lashed forward again to hit the hanging sand bag. There was a whoop behind her, but Rose ignored it. This gym was close and meant she could work out once or twice a week without having to go far from her flat. Downside was that the regulars enjoyed watching a bit too much. It was almost time to stop her body warned and Rose noted at her clothes were sweaty and her padded fingerless gloves were beginning uncomfortable. Twisting her body, Rose kicked the bag one last time on the mark and jumped back.

"Damn Tyler," one of the guys yelled. "Why don't you come every day?"

Rose ignored him and grabbed her water bottle, taking a deep drink from it and rolling her shoulders. Setting the water bottle to the side, Rose started her cooldown and closed her eyes. Around her neck, her TARDIS key and ring were jangling softly and Rose could still feel a small sore patch from where they'd hit her during the routine. But she couldn't bear to totally take them off. The other chain was safe and sound in the pocket of her jeans, but her key and her ring were too important to be away from her person.

She could see a couple of the men moving a bit closer in the corner of her eye. At least they'd learned not to try and 'coach' her on her movements. The one she'd given a black eye to had made that lesson pretty clear. The worst of them, though she got the impression he didn't think so, was a newer guy in the area who was doing a Masters at Cambridge. His name was Nathan Spiros and he was tall and muscular with dark hair and olive skin. He beamed at her and sauntered over.

"Hey Tyler," Spiros greeted as he leaned against the bag with a wide grin.

"Hi Spiros," Rose returned, stretching out her arms and ignoring him. "Sorry, I'm on my way out."

"Come on Rose," he breathed as he moved in front of her with a grin. "Go on a date with me."

"I'm engaged," Rose answered quickly, smiling a little at just saying it.

"Never seen a boyfriend around," he pouted and Rose frowned a little.

"You wouldn't at the gym would you," she remarked trying to sound calm. "But I need to shower and get moving. Classes."

She dragged her bag and disappeared into the changing rooms. Rose preferred showering at home and thus quickly changed back into her jeans, shirt and hoodie. With a small smile, she slipped her heartstone ring back on, placing it on her left hand. That was new, but she liked the fact it discouraged some men from making passes. If the Doctor ever asked, she'd just tell him that it easier and kept it out of her way.

Thinking about him soured her mood a little and she hated that. Sure it was an instinct of his to run and she knew that he wasn't ready for 'them' just yet, but Rose couldn't pretend that it didn't sting more than a little. Heading out the door, she comforted herself with remembering how he'd looked at her and the sound of his voice when he'd learned she was alive despite being trapped with a Dalek. She hadn't been able to see him, but the sound of relief and that slightly pained note in his voice teamed with the look in his eyes when she'd told him that she'd leave with him told her a lot.

Then Rose became aware of a strange weight at the back of her mind like she was being watched. Rose stopped and glanced over her shoulder. There were people walking about quickly in the cold December air, but nothing stood out to her as weird. Shivering slightly, she quickened her pace and reentered her building. Heading upstairs, Rose kept her ears open for the sounds of anyone following her, but everything thankfully seemed calm and quiet.

Shaking her head, Rose dismissed her sense of alarm as simply too much adrenaline and headed to take a shower. She did lock the door, something she didn't usually bother with, but still couldn't quite shake the sense someone had been following her. As it was she barely made it out of the shower and dried off before she heard her mobile going off like crazy. Rushing into her bedroom, Rose grabbed the phone and answered it.

"This is Tyler."

"Rose it's Kate," the familiar voice of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart greeted. "We have a job for you in Berlin. It's very urgent."

"So what's happening in Berlin?" Rose questioned lightly as she slumped down on her bed, running a comb through her damp hair.

"Germany UNIT is reporting strange events around Berlin and they aren't sure what make of things," Kate explained sounding very frustrated. "It's all over the map Rose, strange lights in the sky, teenagers acting strangely and odd interference being picked up all through the city."

"Okay," Rose replied as she reached under her bed to pull out her bag. "When will my transport be here?"

"That was easy," Kate observed with a chuckle.

"Let's be honest, I can turn you lot down, but I never have. Besides Berlin, haven't been there before. Could be fun."

….

The plane trip to Berlin wasn't fun, but at least it was a short flight however it gave Rose a little too much time just sitting on her own and thinking. Since the Dalek that had been dangerous. It made her worry about the Doctor, made her wonder what Eclipse had been trying to retrieve from Van Statten's vault and made her curious about if the disintegration of the artefacts in the Vault had derailed their plan. Probably not, she decided. That group hadn't cared much for Van Statten and wouldn't have left something they truly needed in his care.

Rose looked down at the file she'd been handed when she'd boarded the small private plane and opened it again. She'd already gone through it but started skipping through the scraps of information that UNIT currently had. There was a photograph of a group of teenagers and younger kids all standing in a large empty square in a circle, but they weren't doing anything according to the series of photos captured by the camera. This had been happening with different kids every night for a week. Add in the strange lights and odd interference happening around Berlin and UNIT thought they had an alien.

She was inclined to agree. Aliens liked messing around with kids, probably because they reacted so differently from adults. Rose glanced at the list of kids, reminding herself that there were other reasons aliens messed with kids: Horath Academy and the Krillitaines had made that clear. The jet gave a small jolt thanks to some turbulence and Rose looked out the window. Down below she could see the patchwork landscape of Germany below. Licking her lip, she felt the plane begin to descend and went back to the start of the file, looking for anything else that she may have missed.

"At least term is done," Rose muttered to herself before sighing loudly.

She flipped through the pages again and almost grumbled, from what she could see there weren't any connections between the children. Only a couple of them went to the same schools and she was chalk that up to coincidence as others in the circle went to different schools. Where they lived was scattered, their ages ranged from eight to sixteen and their schools were scattered. There didn't seem to be any connection amongst them.

The plane landed with a soft thump and Rose closed the file. Moving automatically, she unbuckled herself, stretched out and recovered her bag. She picked up the file as they taxied a short distance and then waited impatiently as the stairs were brought over.

There was a black SUV waiting and an officer next to it as Rose came down the stairs only a couple of minutes later. It was chilly, but the air tasted clean and fresh from what must have been recent snowfall.

"Welcome Miss Tyler," the officer greeted with a salute. "I am Captain Fischer of UNIT Germany. I am to be your primary contact so if you require anything just say the word."

"Thank you," Rose answered with a nod and a smile. "Are you speaking English or German?"

"I was assured that you had a translator so I'm speaking German," he answered with a nod. "Less likely to cause confusion."

"Good idea," Rose agreed, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Where are we going to start?"

"Do you need to rest or would you like to begin now?"

"Now," Rose answered. It was late afternoon, but Rose was itching to get started. If nothing else this trip delayed her returning to London and her mother's uncomfortable questions. "Maybe start with a look at the plaza. I'm sure you've been over it, but knowing the lay of the land can be useful."

"Of course Miss Tyler," Captain Fischer replied, gesturing her to the black SUV.

They climbed in without much fuss and their driver quickly got them onto one of the massive roads heading into Berlin proper. Rose watched out the window, taking in the rapidly passing buildings. In some ways, it resembled London and other European cities, but every so often she caught sight of something that looked like it came from Soviet Russia. For a moment she was confused, trying to remember why the Empire of Germany would have buildings like that. Then, thankfully, her knowledge clicked back into place.

"Bloody other memories," Rose grumbled, shaking her head. Honestly, how could a person forget World War II, even for a moment and the aftermath?

"I'm sorry?" Fischer questioned.

"Nothing," Rose forced out. "Anyway, tell me your impressions of the situation. I've read the official file, but what are you noticing?"

"Every night for the past week seemingly random children get out of bed, get dressed and walk across the city to Kollwitzplatz," Captain Fischer informed her with a shake of her head. "Then they just stand in a circle before heading for home. Since we know about it, we've been gathering them up and taking them in for medical care."

"Any injuries?" Rose questioned with a frown.

"No, just exhaustion like it says in the file," Fischer replied with a shake of his head. "After a day or so of rest, they seem completely normal. They have no idea what happened to them. Honestly, it's all we can do to keep it from getting out to the general public and causing a panic."

"Yeah," Rose muttered. "Kids are harder to deal with."

"Indeed, the area is very active. Yesterday was the organic market, but our plain clothes agents didn't find or see anything. Tomorrow is the larger Saturday market."

"So it'll be crazy busy," Rose muttered. "That's not good. Can't you close the market?"

"That market has been going on for fifty years," Fischer answered with a shake of his head. "It isn't an easy one just to cancel."

"Not without drawing, even more, attention to the situation," Rose noted with a sigh. "I get it."

"Well we'll be there soon and you can have a look around," Fischer offered, sounding a bit uncomfortable and apologetic.

"Yeah, we'll sort it out, Captain. Once I have a look I'd like to go to your HQ and check in with your science team."

"Oh, of course, Miss Tyler."

"Just Rose is fine."

….

Kollwitzplatz was an oddly shaped plaza area that was almost laid out like a triangle but didn't quite manage it. The area was good sized with a large fenced playground for children that still had a few brave souls enjoying it despite the cold. Rose had to admit that the area was lovely, even in the winter with tall trees surrounding the main area of the plaza.

The streets surrounding it were packed with people, cars and long rows of shops and restaurants as they stretched out of sight. There was an odd likely modern statue of an unfamiliar figure at one end of the plaza that Rose glanced over quickly. Rose's black boots crunched against the snow with a satisfying noise and she had to admit she was surprised at the couple of inches that were still lingering on the Berlin streets and sidewalks. Around her people were hurrying by in their day to day lives with only a few of them glancing curiously at the black SUVs parked along the street.

Sighing, Rose looked around at the buildings surrounding the plaza, wondering what this place's connection with the children was. Her gut said that somewhere in one of those buildings was alien technology, but where and what was it for. Pulling out the sonic pen, Rose adjusted her settings and slowly turned it. The sonic pen beeped slowly, but nothing registered on the sensor making Rose frown and look around again. It was possible that the source of the issue was shut off currently, but still…..

Something small knocked into her legs, almost pushing her over and Rose looked down in alarm. She dropped her arm and prepared to summon her sword only to find a small child, probably about six holding onto her right leg in a fierce hug. The boy had bright ginger hair that was just long enough to hang into his big brown eyes. The colour and soft curls would have made the Doctor very jealous, Rose realised with a spark of amusement. He was looking up at Rose expectantly with a wide relieved grin.

"Hello?" Rose tried gently, grateful once more for her translator. "Are you alone?" She questioned as she looked around for any sign of a parent. "Are you hurt?"

"No," the boy answered cheerfully. "But I lost Mummy."

"Oh, that's not good," Rose answered slowly as she relaxed a little. A lost child, bad, but a very human problem.

"This place isn't good," the boy told her. "Something isn't right. Feels wrong." He shuddered and only eased his grip a little bit. "Can't you feel it. Something pulling on your mind."

The words made Rose freeze and she slowly raised her eyes away from the boy to look around. Now that he mentioned it, there was something. It was difficult to pinpoint with the noise of the city around them, but as Rose pushed all that away she thought that maybe she could feel something. Like someone was just barely touching the back of her neck.

Shuddering, Rose looked back at the boy who was giving her a thoughtful, almost confused look. Then his brown eyes suddenly widened and he jumped back from her as his face turned almost as red as his hair. Kneeling down, Rose caught his arms and held him still.

"How did you know that?" Rose asked, keeping herself calm so she didn't scare him. "Do you live around here?"

"No," the boy answered with a shake of his head. "I lost Mummy."

"We'll take you to the police," Rose promised, relaxing little. "But is there anything else you can tell me."

"I don't know who is doing it," the boy told her with a sigh. "They're just… draining, but how I don't know. Sorry."

As he said the word sorry, his eyes flashed red and Rose gasped softly. He yawned and wrapped his coat a little tighter around him, reminding Rose that it was winter and getting dark. Looking over her shoulder, she noted that the captain was still by the SVUs that were stationed here. She turned her attention back to the boy who was staying close to her and seemed completely at ease, almost happy to see her.

"Who are you?" Rose asked gently.

"Adam," the boy told her with a small smile.

"And you aren't from Berlin are you Adam?"

"No," he laughed, looking more relaxed.

"Are you from Earth?" Rose asked him, voicing the suspicion.

"Sorta," the boy replied with a tilt of his head. "I was born here, but I'm only part human."

"Okay, that's fine," Rose assured him before looking around. "Your Mummy… is she causing the kids to come here at night?"

"No," Adam told her urgently with a shake of his head. "Mummy and I came here today to look around, but I lost her."

"Tyler!" Captain Fischer called from across the plaza. "Call from HQ. We need to be heading back."

Licking her lip, Rose looked down at the little apparently part alien boy trying to figure out what to do. She was inclined to believe him about him and his mother just coming to look at the area. He seemed a bit telepathic and his mother probably was too. They must have been drawn here and… Rose paused. He'd lost his mother. Maybe there was something hostile behind this and his mother had been captured.

"Adam," Rose started slowly. "I have to go, but maybe you should come with me. Just in case. Until we find your Mum."

"Okay," Adam agreed with a beaming smile. "She wouldn't want me to stay here alone. I was going to call my aunt if she didn't come back soon," he informed her as he patted the pocket of his coat.

"Alright then," Rose breathed as she stood up and extended her hand to him. "Come on. I'll keep you safe."

"I know," he replied sounding very certain of that as he took her hand with a smile.

As they approached Captain Fischer, she could see the officer looking at Adam in confusion. Holding up a hand, Rose gave a pointed glance around before saying, "I'll explain on the way. Just trust me."

Adam's hand squeezed hers before Rose helped him into the SUV's back seat. Captain Fischer gave him one more look before sighing in defeat and nodding.

….

UNIT's Berlin HQ was in the middle of the city and hidden in a small maze of backroads and dummy office buildings. Guards were positioned in small hiding holes that kept them out of the view of the public who seemed content just to keep walking by. It was a bit much, but Rose had to admit it was better than having your HQ beneath a major landmark full of tourists. She still occasionally wondered who's idea that had been.

As they drove in through a large door into a garage, Rose smiled at the more familiar sight of UNIT guards on rotation. She looked at Adam who was half curled up against her side and looking out the window. Rose noted that he didn't seem surprised or worried about all the soldiers. In fact, Rose noted with a slight frown that he seemed quite relaxed with everything that was happening.

They stopped moving before Rose could think too deeply on the subject and Captain Fischer gave the boy one more long look as Rose climbed out. She took Adam's hand again, aware of how the other staff members were looking at her.

"Miss Tyler," Captain Fischer said in a low voice. "I'm afraid that I must insist that the boy waits elsewhere."

"If by elsewhere you mean a holding cell-"

"No nothing like that," Captain Fischer assured her quickly, motioning towards a waiting private. "There is a very nice lounge on the third floor with a television, but we can't have an alien, even a hybrid child just running around an active investigation."

Rose paused and looked down at Adam who was watching the Captain. She was certain that he had understood everything and it occurred to her that she had no idea what language the boy was speaking to her. He gave her a reassuring smile and released her hand.

"No tests," Rose told the Captain sternly. "He'll stay here unless there is danger and no one is to question him without me present."

"Of course Agent Thorn," the Captain agreed with a nod and a tiny step back.

Rose noted that he'd switched from her name to her codename and wondered if she'd sounded that intimidating. Giving Adam another smile, she stayed still as the Private introduced himself as Private Mueller and escorted the boy off with a pleasant smile.

"He'll be alright," the Captain assured her. "Private Mueller has a pair of twins about his age… if he ages like us."

"He might," Rose answered with a shrug, forcing herself to look away from Adam. "Okay, science department. It Adam's right and we're dealing with telepathy then we need to figure out our approach."

"Of course," Fischer said. "This way."

He led her down one of the rather bland corridors, past a row of offices where people in uniforms and lab coats leaned over to look at her. Small signs on the walls provided directions, which was good as everything looked the same. Soon enough they were in front of a large pair of double doors marked 'Science Division'.

Fischer opened the door for her and Rose stepped into a large lab area filled with long tables, instruments and cabinets. Around the outer edge were a series of offices with a few people working in them. A blue public police phone box stood in the corner of the room and Rose's eyes were instantly drawn to it. She began to smile before the door on the far side of the room opened and a UNIT Captain strolled in with a younger looking man. He was tall, just about six feet with handsome features and slightly messed short brown hair. He was dressed in dark blue jeans, a button down shirt with folded up sleeves and a waistcoat. When he spotted her, his brown eyes warmed and he smiled.

"Ah Miss Tyler," the UNIT Captain greeted her with a salute. "As you can see the Doctor has joined us."

But the man that was looking at her was not the Doctor. Rose stared into his eyes, but they were all wrong. Far too young and lacking something. This man was not the Doctor.


	22. Dark Minds: The Son Appears

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty-Two: Dark Minds: The Son Appears

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose stared at the stranger, taking in his face and almost twinkling brown eyes. She was aware of the UNIT Captains waiting for something and considered saying something. Given the rumours, they were probably startled that she wasn't hugging him or flirting. But this man wasn't the Doctor. And yet something about the kind way he was looking at her and just waiting kept her silent. There was no smugness like she might have expected from the Silver Lord or an agent of the Trickster. He might not have been the Doctor, but Rose was surprised to find her instinct while confused weren't alarmed.

"Captains could you give us a moment," the stranger asked, turning and smiling at the two men who were looking at them in mild confusion. As they nodded and left the room, Rose kept her eyes on the stranger and had her right hand ready to summon her sword. His gaze dropped to her hand and he took a step back before she could summon it. The door closed with a soft thump and Rose wet her lips to prepare to speak. "Sorry about this," the man apologised. "I'm grateful you knew I wasn't him. That would have been awkward." He chuckled and smiled at her, adding, "But I'm also surprised that it didn't even take you a minute. I guess it's true that you really can recognise the Doctor no matter what."

"How did you get the TARDIS?" Rose demanded, slightly thrown by his easy going attitude.

"My TARDIS, well actually all of our TARDISes take on the police box shape on Earth or other human worlds," he explained calmly before bringing up his hand and snapping his fingers. "I guess you could call it a quirk."

The pair of twin blue doors swung open revealing a gleaming white and brass console room. Rose stared at the ship for a long moment before tentatively stepping closer. As she reached out and touched the side, she could feel the soft hum that she'd come to associate with the TARDIS. Yet something about it was different, though Rose couldn't understand how she even noticed that.

"Sorry about saying I'm the Doctor," he told her with a soft smile. "I prefer not to impersonate him, but in this time period well it would be weird."

"Who are you?" Rose demanded weakly, turning back to him. "Are you….?"

"I'm Alistair," he replied gently with a smile. "Your son." At her startled expression, his grin only widened and he added, "Hello Mummy." He gave her a small wave and looked far too amused with the situation.

Stepping towards him, Rose studied his features. The resemblance wasn't as strong as Astra was to her, but now she could see definite features from the Tenth Doctor in his face and he certainly had his father's hair. The easy-going confidence in his eyes was certainly familiar. Smiling, Rose exhaled and brought a hand up to touch his cheek.

"I've heard your name before, seen it too I think."

"Astra has a bit of a gob like Dad," Alistair answered with a smile. "And my room in the TARDIS is still marked even in Dad's 'bowties are cool body' so both are possibilities." His smile was warm and he was completely at ease with her which reassured Rose more than anything. "Sorry I alarmed you, but right now saying I'm the Doctor is easiest. Can you imagine the panic that might ensue if UNIT learns that there are Time Lord children of Rose Tyler and the Doctor dashing around."

She couldn't help it, Rose laughed at the idea and given how much she was worrying about timelines already that would just be impossible. Though it was funny and maybe a little heartbreaking to imagine the Ninth Doctor learning that they'd have children someday. She pushed thoughts of that Doctor away, unable to help the lingering hurt and anger she was still dealing with.

"I hope that Alistair has met you at least," she chuckled weakly. "I'd love to see his surprise when he learns that the Doctor named his son after him."

"Not at this point, but soon," Alistair assured her. "And from my understanding the day he finds out is amusing."

"Oh Guardians," Rose laughed nervously. "You really are my son aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry, just… I knew Astra for years before I found out she was my daughter. And sure I met Athena, but that was just weird circumstances."

A pair of hands gripped her arms and Rose looked up to meet Alistair's eyes. He was looking at her softly, but firmly said, "Inhale Rose."

His use of her name helped and Rose took in a long deep breath. Alistair shifted a bit impatiently but stayed nearby. When she'd recovered a bit, Rose shook her head and looked back at him.

"So what is going on here?" Rose questioned. "If you're here and pretending to be the Doctor so you can work with UNIT then it has to be something."

"It's alien to be sure," Alistair agreed. "But I'm not sure what it is yet." He closed his eyes for a moment. "Thank you for bringing Adam with you," Alistair told her as he glanced up at the ceiling. "I lost contact with Ella an hour ago, that's not supposed to happen. Whatever is doing this is hiding some impressive telepathic equipment or abilities."

"Ella? Who's Ella?"

"My wife," Alistair answered calmly. "Adam's mother."

"Wait Adam is your son?" Rose gasped as her mind careened to a halt. "I have a grandson?"

"Yes," Alistair agreed patiently only to get a surprised look from Rose.

"How old are you?" Rose questioned, half stumbling over the words. "I mean you have a family of your own?"

"I'm about two hundred," he answered calmly, sliding his hands into his jeans pockets. "And ageing very well for my first life if I do say so myself. And most people agree I'm more like you than Dad. Ella and I knew each other distantly as kids and when she started travelling with her father's old vortex manipulator-"

"Time Agent? She isn't Jack's-"

'Oh God no," Alistair gasped with a shudder. "No, oh god no. Given his relationship with Athena and Mel-"

"What?" Rose pressed, hearing him start the third name. "Who is that? Is Jack-"

"No, no cheating, don't hurt him," Alistair interjected quickly before sighing and shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. "Polyamorous relationship. Trust me we all like… her with them better than some of their other significant others they've had over the years." He sighed and straightened up. "Sorry, I'm usually more careful than this."

"Your wife is missing," Rose agreed with a nod, feeling a bit guilty for her curiosity. Especially since she really did know better. "Of course you're a little off. Will she be okay?"

"I'm confident of that," Alistair assured him, rubbing the back of his neck in a gesture very reminiscent of his father. "But their ability to interfere with telepathy means I can't talk with her. It's also why I couldn't find Adam until he was closer. You, future you, called me to reassure me and told me to come to UNIT."

"Temporal loop then," Rose muttered uneasily. "Lovely."

"Well I don't know the details," Alistair told her. "But we can do this. Three generations of Tylers."

"You want Adam to help?"

"Course, he's the best telepath in the family," Alistair chuckled. "Apparently interesting things happen when you mix Time Lord and Verlan DNA. Good thing the old Time Lords considered themselves above such things or the Time War could have taken an even worse turn."

"Verlan, you mean you married one of Eve's people?" Rose asked in confusion.

"No, Ella is only half Verlan," Alistair told her as he headed for the door. He turned and looked over his shoulder with a smile. "In fact, she's Eve's daughter."

"Eve's daughter? That means…" Rose's eyes widened in surprise even as she started to smile "Eve and I share a grandson?!"

Alistair gave her a small grin, nodded and strode out the doorway. Rose's head hurt even as she hurried after Alistair. There was just too much going on around her for her to remain both outwardly and inwardly calm, something had to give. Her brain just kept tripping over Alistair being her son, but as she trailed after him she couldn't help but notice a lot of things about him. He strode down the hall like his father, all that missing was the billowing brown coat. Alistair was a bit broader in the shoulders, probably got that from her side of the family, but then again Rose had no idea how much the appearance of the Doctor's prior forms could influence his children. After all of those forms were still part of his DNA. When Alistair regenerated would he resemble another prior form of his father's or would his own DNA scramble and create something totally new?

It occurred to her that had she tried to contact Adam's aunt that she would have found herself talking to Astra or Athena. Maybe it was a good thing she'd decided against doing that in the middle of Kollwitzplatz, but then again maybe she would have been more prepared for what was happening now. She was distracted, still smarting over the Ninth Doctor leaving after the Dalek and her own distraction over school. That needed to stop. Something was happening and her daughter-in-law had taken. And wow that was a strange thought to have.

"Relax Mum," Alistair whispered in a low voice. "You're thinking too much."

"Sorry, I just… I'm not sure," she offered weakly. "Can you hear me?"

"A bit," Alistair answered as they walked past one of the guards. "You do realise that Adam influenced you when you two met?"

"What? Are you sure?" Rose gasped as an icy feeling washed over her.

"Yeah, he didn't mean to I'm sure," Alistair assured her. "But he knew who were you, but that you were younger. That's why you were compelled to trust him and keep him with you. I'm sure he wanted to stay close to you without having to risk the timelines. His time sense isn't developed yet so he wouldn't have felt the closed causal loop."

"Oh," Rose forced out, aware of a headache brewing at the front of her skull.

She wondered if after Astra she should be more at ease with this, but then again how could anyone ever be calm about meeting a future child. She looked back at Alistair, it sinking in that he was her son. Suddenly, Rose stopped and grabbed his hand to stop him moving. As he turned to look at her, Rose shifted next to him and threw her arms around him in a tight hug. Alistair made a small sound of surprise that quickly changed into a warmly pleased hum.

"Hello Mum," he whispered softly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

"It's nice to meet you," Rose breathed before she forced herself to let go. "Uh sorry about that."

"Don't be," Alistair assured her kindly. "I'm a Time Lord and I've never had to meet a child before they existed."

Nodding, Rose stepped back and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes for a moment and firmly told herself to calm down. Something weird was going on and this wasn't the time to be giddy over having a son. Three children: Athena, Astra and Alistair. Apparently, she had decided to just keep the A thing going.

"Sorry," Rose apologised, shaking her head and forcing a smile. "Okay, what do we do?"

"I need to see if Adam noticed anything at Kollwitzplatz," he informed her as he started walking again. "It might help me find Ella or figure out what species we're dealing with."

"You're very calm for your wife being taken," Rose observed as she looked at Alistair in the corner of her eye.

"We have a telepathic bond," he explained in a low voice. "It's hard to explain… I can't talk to her right now, but I can feel her. She's… fuzzy, but not in pain. Probably unconscious which isn't good, but she's not being hurt." H paused and licked his lips quickly. "These aliens might not be hostile. I need to take a look at Kollwitzplatz myself."

"If Adam is telepathic then why didn't they take him?"

"Ella is capable of shielding his presence," Alistair explained as they entered the stairwell and began to climb up. "Probably didn't want to risk him being taken."

Rose looked at her son's, and wasn't that crazy to think, face and noted that he wasn't as calm as he was trying to appear. He must have realised that she was a touch overwhelmed. Reaching over, he snagged her hand and squeezed it. The feeling wasn't as nice as it was with the Doctor, but Rose definitely felt a bit warmer at the contact.

It wasn't hard to get to Adam, the UNIT guards all straighten up as they passed which seemed to both amuse and irritate Alistair as it did his father. Alistair went straight to the lounge where Adam was on the floor with some paper and crayons. The boy looked up the instant they stepped into the room and jumped to his feet with a grin.

"Da- Doctor," Adam greeted with a soft blush after catching himself.

"I'm sorry sir," Private Mueller greeted uneasily. "We weren't aware that-"

"He's the son of my companion," Alistair told Private Mueller. "Telepathic species, he can help us with the investigation."

"Uh as you wish Doctor," Private Mueller answered with a nod, straightening up sharply.

"Come along Adam, Rose. We need to go back at Kollwitzplatz."

Rose looked down at Adam who calmly beamed up at her. Again it hit her that this was her future grandson and she thought her legs might just give out on her. She'd never met Susan and sadly knew that she never would, but felt a sharp pang at that as she looked at Adam. The boy seemed to know her train of thought as he reached up and took her hand before calmly looking at his father. Rose barely stayed on her feet as she took in Adam's features and debated if he had Eve's nose.

"Excellent!" Alistair announced. "Allons-y!"


	23. Dark Minds: Ella Tyler

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty-Three: Dark Minds: Ella Tyler

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

As Alistair got another escort to return them to Kollwitzplatz, Rose knelt down next to Adam and smiled at him. The boy gave her a sly little smile, clearly aware that she now knew who he was and very pleased with the situation.

"Hi Gran," Adam whispered to her and wow wasn't that a strange thing to hear.

"I'm very happy to meet you, Adam," Rose returned with a widening grin that she just couldn't help taking over her face.

Adam shifted over and hugged her just as one of the Captains nodded to Alistair and gestured down the hallway. A few moments later they were walking down to the garage again with her holding Adam's hand and staying a step behind Alistair. She was a bit at a loss for how to even interact with her son. She'd known Astra as a friend first before finding out she was her daughter and met Athena in a crisis that had them working together right from the start in a high-stress situation. Alistair was worried, she could tell by the tension in his shoulders as they climbed back into the UNIT SUV, Adam between them in the back seat.

"Have you found anything?" Adam asked carefully, eyeing their two UNIT escorts in the front seat.

"Not much yet," Alistair answered with a fond smile for the boy that made him look a bit more relaxed. "But we know that we're dealing with telepaths. They must have a ship or at least an energy hub in the area to be affecting the population."

"What about the children?" Rose questioned with a frown. "Any ideas on how they are affecting them and why?"

"Well the children are being affected by a telepathic field, different from whatever is surrounding Kollwitzplatz," Alistair told her as he looked out at the streets of Berlin. "Course the problem is that most humans aren't telepathic. Some are born with it, but it's so rare that it's impossible all those children are natural telepaths."

"So they're making them telepaths," Adam interjected with a frown. "That works because their brains are still growing right?"

"Exactly, exposure to telepathy by an immature brain can cause slight changes in a brain, but it is a slow process. This is extreme."

"Is it permanent Doctor?" one of the men up front asked, looking a bit alarmed. "Will they be telepaths forever?"

"Doubtful, fully changing the structure of the brain to allow for telepathy is a slow process. It would take years of gradual exposure and even then it would emerge slowly. This isn't delicate, this is hooking into a brain and pulling. For what I'm not sure yet."

Alistair glanced at her and Rose got the distinct impression that she was supposed to be taking something from that conversation. However, as they got closer and closer to Kollwitzplatz her headache was getting worse and making it hard to think clearly. Closing her eyes, Rose breathed slowly and tried to let her eyes rest. A small hand squeezed hers and a rush of giddiness blazed through Rose. Somehow the idea of a grandchild was actually easier than a child. After all, at the end of a visit, they could always give Adam back. A mental image of the Eleventh Doctor playing with their grandson popped into her head and it was almost unbearable cute.

Alistair and Adam seemed content to let the scenery roll past them, though Rose was certain her son was running down everything he knew. She hoped Ella was alright and wondered what she looked like. Time Agent father so probably half-human, but did she look half-human or more like Eve? Did she have powers like Eve's? Of course Rose hadn't actually seen Eve in years so she couldn't even be certain how Eve's powers had grown or changed. The headache was getting worse.

"Rose," Alistair called softly as the SUV began to slow down. "We're here."

"Thanks," Rose answered quickly, forcing a smile and avoiding referring to him by name or by his father's name. It was just a bit too weird still.

Kollwitzplatz was not nearly as friendly in the dark. Despite the street being well lit and several restaurants in the area being open it was like a fog had settled over the intersection of residential and shopping. As the SUV stopped and Alistair leapt out of the backseat, a strange feeling washed over her. Shuddering, Rose bit her lip and kept quiet even as Adam looked up at her with a soft smile. She was vaguely aware of their UNIT driver looking at them in confusion.

Rose almost laughed. They certainly weren't acting like people probably expected. The Eleventh Doctor flirted with her all the time, but Alistair. Well, obviously he didn't. Rose pushed that creepy odd thought away. This was weird enough. Again this was probably why you weren't supposed to cross your own timeline and yet…. It happened to her way too often.

"Is it weird pretending to be Grandad?" Adam asked his father as they strolled further away from the UNIT men.

"Very," Alistair admitted with a chuckle and a fond ruffle of his son's ginger hair. "But I didn't want to cause a panic and lot of questions. We need to find your mum."

"I still can only just feel her," Adam told his father with a darkening look. "There's something around here. Something pushing back against my telepathy and keeping me blind."

"Me too," Alistair agreed. "But don't worry Adam, we'll find you. She'll be fine."

Pulling out his screwdriver, Alistair held it up and Rose noted that while it had a blue diode the design was longer and larger more like the Eleventh Doctor's screwdriver. Small silver claws held the blue diode, but thankfully it still sounded the same when he turned it on. Alistair hummed softly himself as he held it with both hands and walked forward slowly.

"What are you doing?" Rose asked before she could stop herself.

"I've set the sonic to interact with telepathic fields. I'm using my own telepathy to… well feel around," he offered vaguely, looking a touch embarrassed.

"What do you need from us, Doctor?" One of the UNIT soldiers asked, making Rose jump a little at the reminder of who they thought Alistair was.

"Just stay back for the moment," Alistair answered shortly. "No one has been harmed yet and the kids aren't due to start arriving for a few more hours. This may be something completely peaceful."

Rose doubted that, but she couldn't help but smile at Alistair's attempt to reassure her and Adam. However, Adam raised a doubtful eyebrow and looked over at her. Holding back a smile, Rose caught the silent 'when have they ever been peaceful' look and moved over to the boy. She placed her hands on his shoulders as Alistair moved around with slow deliberate steps.

Alistair suddenly stopped in place and the pitch of the sonic screwdriver changed. Rose's eyes twinged again as she surveyed the area. They'd moved into the large playground area and Rose looked around with mild alarm. Was there something here affected the kids? No that couldn't be all there was since they were a vast range of ages and lived all over.

A triumphant shout that had Rose looking around the Tenth Doctor for a moment escaped Alistair and as he grinned she felt like she'd been punched in the chest. Next to her Adam chuckled lightly and she was sure that the boy was plucking her shocked thoughts from her head. It was a bit surprising how much that didn't bother her, but then again he was her grandson even if telepathy made her a bit uncomfortable. Bloody Silver Lord.

"It'll get easier Gran," Adam reassured her, reaching over to squeeze her hand before turning his attention back to his father.

Alistair was moving around the large playground equipment, his sonic screwdriver beeping faster and faster. He suddenly adjusted his fingers on the device and muttered something under his breath. Rose thought she caught 'reverse the polarity', but couldn't be sure. A moment later the dark air above the equipment began t shimmer. Alistair kept the screwdriver fixed on a point above the jungle gym and waited.

The ship shimmered in view in front of them as Adam held tight to her hand. Her headache began to ease just enough that Rose could really focus on what she was seeing. Distantly she heard Alistair tell her to keep focusing on the ship. Inch by inch Rose could take in the small smooth looking saucer-like shape that was shining above the play area. Rose's eyes widened as she examined the slightly red tinted metal. Behind them, there were cries of alarm from UNIT.

Jumping forward, Alistair pulled himself up onto the top of the playground slide platform which let him just reach up and the touch the bottom of the ship. Rose's stomach turned even as she followed her future son up, gesturing for Adam to wait behind them. With a far too calm expression, Alistair reached up to the sonic screwdriver once again. Despite her efforts, Adam climbed up next to her.

"Adam-"

"You might need me for finding Mum," he pointed out completely calmly and rationally, taking her hand again.

"He's right," Alistair murmured as he moved the sonic screwdriver around for another moment and it whirled loudly in the quiet square. "Got it!"

With a hiss, a panel of the ship opened, swinging down with a faint blue glow radiating out of the ship. Alistair hummed for a moment as he studied it before looking back at Rose.

"Tractor beam," he told her simply before stepping forward. He vanished as his body was pulled up into the ship.

Rose hesitated for a moment, torn between staying outside with Adam to keep him safe and going with Alistair. Adam took it out of her hands when the boy tugged her sharply into the beam and the air was forced out of her lungs. For a moment she couldn't move, suspended in a field of energy which pulled her up into the ship. A few seconds later her surroundings changed and she was in a metallic red corridor with curved round walls.

"This way," Alistair whispered urgently. "We need to find Ella before anything else."

He didn't seem distressed about his young son being here and Rose had to sadly acknowledge that Alistair's upbringing probably hadn't been peaceful. Hopefully, his birth hadn't been a family crisis like Astra's, but there'd probably been someone who tried to find a way to use the Doctor's son against him. The thought was sobering and Rose nodded to Alistair, following him down the hall with a firm grasp of Adam's hand.

Alistair seemed to know exactly where he was going as if an internal compass was guiding him. Rose wasn't sure about this telepathy with Ella that he'd referenced, but wasn't going to ask. She kept Adam's hand in her left hand and had already summoned her sword in her right. The corridors were strangely empty and the ship was humming around them almost menacingly. Rose wondered just how long they'd be allowed to simply wander. Then Alistair stopped and pressed a series of buttons by a door that was sunk into the wall. It opened with a hiss and he entered the room beyond slowly.

It was a simple room, made of the same reddish metal as all the rest, but in the middle was a female laying on a long metal table. Machines built into the wall were beeping steadily and small lights were flashing, but Rose turned her attention back to the woman as Alistair swept over to her. Rose hadn't been sure what she'd been expecting honestly. The knowledge that Ella was Eve's daughter had made her expect someone who looked like a Verlan, but this woman looked very human. Must have taken after her father physically, or maybe some sort of perception filter while they were on Earth?

Ella reminded Rose a bit of Amy. She was tall and slim, very pretty with shocking red hair, but her hair was redder than anything natural Rose had ever seen before. It was closer to phone booth red than ginger. Between her, Amy and Adam the Doctor was probably sick with jealousy. As she studied her facial features, Rose smiled as she noted Eve's nose and cheekbones even with the soft rosy skin so much pinker than her mother's. She was dressed in very normal clothing including jeans and a long black shirt under a red leather jacket with boots.

"Sweetheart," Alistair called, leaning over the woman and patting her cheek gently before his fingers slid up to her temple. "Can you hear me?"

Rose released Adam's hand and the boy rushed over to stand on the other side of his mother. For a moment she marvelled at the combination of features her grandson had. He had Alistair's nose which had come from the Doctor, but his mother's eyes. It was crazy and a wave of giggles threatened to escape her. Rose was only saved by watching Alistair put his fingers against Ella's temples for a moment with closed eyes. A moment later, Ella groaned softly and shifted on top of the table.

"Alistair?" her smooth voice questioned, just a hint of an accent. "Why? Uh Adam-"

"I'm right here Mum," Adam assured her quickly with a growing smile.

"Come on sweetheart," Alistair said urgently. "We need to leave."

Nodding, Ella sat up a little and Alistair easily slid his arms around her, lifting her off the table. It was obvious that they'd had to do that in the past. Alistair caught her eye and Rose nodded, stepping back out into the corridor and looking around. They still seemed to be alone, but Rose thought she heard something. Alistair stepped out behind her, carrying Ella carefully and started them back the way they'd come.

Then the sound behind them became louder and louder. They sped up, but Rose looked back as they reached the entrance once again. Adam moved to the controls on the wall as his father stepped over onto the strange circle of light. Something was moving up the corridor behind them and the humming around them was louder than before.

"Halt!"

The alien was large and heavy set with a strange slug-like body, but four bright glowing white eyes peering out at them. Its flesh was maroon and long horn-like structures grew out of its forehead and twisted back over its hairless head. There was no clothing, but rather bits of the small reddish metal decorating its form like gauntlets and collars. A soft hum at the back of her mind made her headache return and her eyes watered a tiny bit at the pain. It felt too similar to the migraines she'd had during her engagement to the Silver Lord. The knowledge that she was being telepathically probed made her stomach turn over.

"Ah so you've chosen humans as your next targets," Alistair observed casually, as he gently set Ella down and she leaned against the wall. He stepped ahead of them and shielding Rose, Ella and Adam from view. "Going after Earth's children then?"

"Human brains develop slowly," the alien observed in a thick voice. "They can be shaped and altered for so long."

"You've harvested some energy, enough to leave," Alistair remarked in a darkening voice. "Leave this planet."

"We do not fear you little Time Lord," the alien chuckled in a moist echoing voice that made Rose want to shift away. "You are not your father."

"No, I'm not," Alistair replied evenly. "But you know him enough to know how protective he is of this world. I was born here, this is my home planet. It is my mother's home world. Imagine if you can how fiercely I will fight for it." Alistair let the words sink in and stared down the alien. "Think about it and leave. This is your only warning."

Without another word, Alistair turned and moved back to them. He scooped Ella up bridal style again and nodded to Rose who grabbed Adam's hand tightly. Adam pressed a couple of the buttons and Rose shifted back onto the circle of light. They were surrounded in the glow again and she felt as if she were falling once more. A moment later Kollwitzplatz faded into place around them and Rose found herself looking at several worried UNIT officers who were crowded around the playground with weapons at the ready.

"How bad is this?" Rose questioned seriously as she risked a glance up at the vanishing ship. Her head ached a little as the telepathic field once again overtook her. "Do you think they'll leave?"

"No," Alistair all but growled as he shifted Ella's weight in his arms. "This is bad. They're further along with their plans than I was counting on." He paused and looked over at her to explain, "They're Bardonians. Powerful telepaths, but also a scavenger society."

"What are they doing here?" Rose pressed, hoping to get more information out of him. "Is this an invasion?"

"No- well sort of I suppose," Alistair grumbled. "They must have seeded technology in Berlin to make the children a bit telepathic. Despite being telepaths themselves they also feed on telepathic energy. Rather than feed on each other, they go from planet to planet to gorge themselves before moving on. They can leave a lot of destruction in their wake. You make nontelepathic species telepathic and things go insane. We're lucky this hasn't escalated too far yet."

"What now Da-Doctor?" Adam questioned.

"We need to find the seed and pull it out by the root."


	24. Dark Minds: The Source Code

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty-Four: Dark Minds: The Source Code

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

UNIT soldiers were made of pretty stern stuff in Rose's experience, but she had to keep in mind that the Germans didn't have as colourful a record as the U.K. forces. The sight of the ship and confirmation that there was something just floating in the centre of Berlin was a lot for them to take in. Rose was certain it was only the knowledge that they were in the centre of Berlin that kept them from firing, but she also noted that the German officers seemed a bit more hesitant to use military force of arms. While they waited for a mobile command truck to arrive, Alistair answered numerous questions about the Bardonians.

"Doctor!" Someone called and Rose found herself looking around for any sign of the Doctor only to remember a moment later who they were supposed to be taking to.

A pair of plainly dressed men that Rose guessed were science department from the small computers they were clutching moved over to him. One of them turned the computer so Alistair could look at it and Rose almost burst out laughing when her future son pulled on a pair of glasses to read the screen. Apparently, while he was a bit more like her personality than the Doctor he'd still taken on plenty of his father's quirks. That was fair, she decided. After all, she couldn't quite see Athena or Astra doing the 'brainy specs' thing.

Turning her attention to the young woman who was sitting on a bench wrapped in a blanket with a medic kneeling in front of here, Rose took a moment to study her future daughter-in-law. She wondered if she have been feeling more protective of her son than she was, but couldn't quite find any such emotion directed towards Ella. It was possible that the part of her that knew she was Eve's daughter was just too pleased about their children marrying and having a child. Rose looked at Adam who was calmly sitting on the bench next to his mother with a wide happy smile on his face. He was beginning to nod off, leaning against his mother's arm and earning a soft look from the assembled medics.

Walking over, Rose still a bit of distance so she wouldn't disturb the medics.

"Anything else ma'am?"

"No," Ella answered calmly. "I don't remember much. I was just looking around for the source of the telepathic field for the Doctor and then I woke up in the ship. They probably detected me and pulled me into the ship when I wandered too close. If they supercharged the entrance tractor beam they could have pulled me in even from a few feet away. That would have been enough of an energy surge in my brain to knock me out."

"You're very calm about this," the medic observed, his brow furrowing.

"I travel with the Doctor," Ella laughed good-naturedly.

The medic's eyes dropped to Adam and Rose could feel the judgement. She wondered if she'd face that in the future, travelling with the Doctor and their kids. It wasn't exactly a safe life and she wasn't sure how she'd react to that. Ella frowned in return and raised a sharp ginger eyebrow at the medic.

"I'm only half human and my son is a distinct one of a kind hybrid. He's safest bouncing around the universe in a TARDIS. They're almost impossible to track and the Doctor takes his safety very seriously," Ella explained in an almost icy voice.

"Uh of course ma'am," the medic stuttered as he jumped to his feet. The others around him exchanged uncomfortable looks.

Moving over, Rose watched with a bit of satisfaction as the medics looked almost alarmed at her presence. Rose inwardly smiled a little as she nodded to them. For a moment they looked lost, but then thankfully the mobile command unit arrived. The large truck pulled partially up onto the pavement at the edge of the square and the medics all but retreated towards it. Rose glanced towards Alistair as he walked with a captain towards the command unit. He glanced her way and nodded with a small smile.

Exhaling softly, Rose looked back at Ella who was watching her with a slightly uncertain look. Adam rubbed his cheek into his mother's arm and looked up at Rose with sleepy eyes. She could understand that. It was getting late and she was beginning to feel a bit sleepy herself.

"I'm Ella," the bright redhead introduced herself carefully. Rose took note that she had only a tiny hint of an accent, mostly sounding like an American.

"So you're Eve's daughter?" Rose asked softly as she sat down the bench so Adam was between them.

"Ah, you know who I am then?" Ella questioned carefully, her eyes darting towards Alistair who was talking with a colonel and kept glancing their way.

"Yeah, I knew he wasn't… the Doctor," Rose explained softly.

Ella chuckled, the soft sweet sound easing Rose's nerves. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Good thing, though, he would have freaked out if you'd tried to kiss him."

"Time travel creates strange situations," Rose agreed with a chuckle of her own and a small shudder at the very idea.

"Very true," Ella sighed, wrapping her arm around Adam. "So you know who Adam is?"

"Yeah, didn't think I'd meet my grandson when I was only twenty-one," Rose replied softly mindful of the nearby UNIT personal.

Whatever Ella had been going to say was forgotten when she suddenly straightened up and looked past Rose into the street. Turning to look over her shoulder, Rose groaned softly at the sight of dozens of children and teenagers walking up the pavement slowly and almost robotically. Rose watched the children and teenagers slowly file into the square around the UNIT soldiers. The entire feel of the square suddenly changed and Rose looked around to see the lights of nearby buildings dimming as the world tried to ignore what was happening. Frowning deeply, Rose looked at one of the youngest kids. He couldn't have been more than seven and was dressed in pajamas with sneakers and a coat. Thankfully they all had seemed to still have the ability to put something on against the night chill.

Standing up, she fought the desire to move forward and instead made herself watch. UNIT personal lined up and Rose caught sight of Alistair moving forward. He moved into the crowd of children, kneeling down to look at one of them closely as they began to form a circle. Rose now recognised that the circle surrounded the playground and more importantly the ship. More and more of them kept coming in a tight group, slowly moving amongst the soldiers without any reaction.

"Easy," Ella breathed next to her, reaching out and grabbing her arm. "The telepathic field hasn't changed. They're still harvesting energy, not harming the children."

It didn't last long. The children just stood there blankly staring into the empty space that wasn't really empty. As suddenly as they appeared they all suddenly turned and began to walk away. A mobile phone slipped out of a pocket and fell to the ground as the first group of children began to disperse. Scooping it up, Rose looked around trying to find the child it belonged to the crush of kids. With a sigh, she gave up and looked down at the phone to see if she could find anything special. The small icon indicating at that the Wi-Fi was on flashed with a series of unusual symbols briefly appearing next to it. Her frown deepened and Rose went into the settings to check. Sure enough, the Wi-Fi source had a name that her translator didn't seem to know what to make of.

The screen flickered for a moment and the pain in Rose's head increased. Closing her eyes, Rose shook her head for a moment and tried to clear it. The dull feeling was still pounding in her head and Rose felt a nagging suspicion that something wasn't quite right. Alistair had been… hinting at something earlier, but she still felt like she was missing some important information.

"Don't stop them," Alistair called out over the square. "They'll be released from the control signal. Just take them home."

Sure enough, the eyes of the children were clearing slightly though they looked exhausted. Rose stepped forward to catch the shoulder of one of them when he almost collapsed. The team of medics was suddenly amongst them and the UNIT soldiers spread out to calm the kids down. A moment later Alistair was next to them with a stern expression on his face.

"We can't do anything more here tonight," he murmured as his eyes moved up into the air. "I need to think."

"Back to UNIT then?" Rose questioned, reaching over to squeeze her son's hand.

"Yeah, I want to check Ella out myself and you need some rest."

…...

The Science Department was very quiet, the UNIT staff watching with baited breath as Alistair linked the TARDIS scanners to the computers. The long coiling cables almost filled the floor and were a tripping hazard, but several of the staff risked walking near them to glance into the TARDIS. As he watched the screen flash with different maps of London and small dots appeared, Alistair seemed completely unbothered by them all. He crossed his arms in front of him and looked intently at the screen, reminding her more of the Ninth Doctor than the Tenth Doctor.

Rose was seated at a computer of her own at one of the smaller work tables. The mystery phone was next to her and Rose kept glancing at it with a hint of worry as she plugged the phone into the computer. Ella joined her a moment later and handed her a cup of tea.

"Not the best," Ella apologised softly as she sat down next to Rose.

"How's Adam?"

"Taking a nap," Ella whispered. "But he won't be gone long. Time Lords don't need much sleep."

"Even at that age?"

"Especially at that age," Ella grumbled as she took a long sip of her own tea. "You did warn me I suppose," Ella added fondly before she looked down at the phone. "What are you doing?"

"Just following a hunch," Rose replied calmly as the phone linked up and she accessed the files. "I noticed something a bit odd earlier."

"Ah," Ella said in a knowing voice. "Your great talent." She blinked when Rose turned to look at her. "Noticing the odd little detail."

"I try," Rose chuckled, that odd falling sense returning as it sank in that she was talking with the future daughter of one of her best friends and her own future daughter-in-law.

At first glance, the phone looked normal, the core basic applications and storage of the phone. There were a couple of random photos of a teenage boy in different places with a teenage girl amongst other things. Nothing looked strange and then the screen shifted for a moment. Just the tiniest bit, but Rose felt a flash of irritation across her head.

"Hold on a second," Rose hissed as she closed out the photos and opened another file. There were some strange symbols tacked onto the end of what looked like the saved Wi-Fi information for the phone. "This isn't-"

The screen flickered again and Rose darted her fingers across the keyboard. Everything froze and a strange series of code was suddenly clear in front of them. Next, to her, Ella made a small sound of surprise and Rose's lips curved into a satisfied smile.

"Got ya," Rose breathed. "I think I found it."

"Some kind of code," Ella announced with a chuckle. "Tacked onto the phone's WiFi system. That's how they're doing it."

The screen flickered and unfroze as the code began to scroll down the screen. It was twisting and changing with the odd symbols making Rose's headache worse and worse. Ella was humming thoughtfully and Rose kept trying to watch the screen.

"Damn," Ella growled as the screen suddenly reverted to normal. "There it goes."

"But we've seen it now," Rose murmured. "It had become part of the Wi-Fi code. That can't be an accident."

"It's a piece of malware then," Ella explained in a slightly awed voice. "Spreading through local Wi-Fi connections. It runs in the background of the screen." Ella reached around Rose and hit a few keys and a normal looking desktop came up. "You can't see the code now, but it's still there running just below normal perception, but you're still seeing it."

"And that's making the kids telepathic?" Rose questioned in shock.

"Yeah, the code isn't normal. It's using the light of the computer and a subtle high pitched noise to… well, agitate the brain. In response, the brain shifts slightly in order to combat the agitation causing the subtle alternations that make the children more telepathic. They've had this in place for quite some time."

"How long?"

"A year… at least," Ella answered with a hint of unease.

"Could we interfere with the signal?" Rose questioned, leaning forward to look at the phone again. "The Bad Wolf virus?"

Ella's eyebrow shot up and her lips curved into a considering smile. She nodded carefully and looked back towards Rose. "It might," she agreed. "Do you have it with you?"

"Course," Rose chuckled as she adjusted her small black shoulder bag. She unzipped the smallest of the pockets and pulled out the small flash drive. Holding it up, Rose added, "I always have it near me. Just in case." Rose hummed softly and looked at Ella, "But the issue is that this won't stop the telepathic field now, it will just stop the conditioning of more people."

"How do you want to do this?" Ella questioned. "From what I understand the Bad Wolf virus is very nasty."

"I can alter it a bit," Rose offered as she plugged the flash drive in and bent her fingers. "Target it only at this code."

"How do we deliver it?" Ella asked as she leaned over to look at the screen as Rose brought the code up.

"We use Spock and the update systems for phone and computer operating systems," Rose answered with a smile.

She pulled out her own phone as Ella reached back and disconnected the computer's Ethernet cable. With a smile, Rose turned to look towards her son who was still leaning over one of the computers with a deep frown of his own.

"Found something," Rose called in a sing-song voice drawing his attention and earning her a curious expression.

Ella grinned and moved over to join Alistair. Rose only half listened to the explanation as she got Spock on the phone. Alistair stopped and looked up at her in surprise with wide eyes. "Wow," he breathed, sounding truly impressed. "That's…. that's inspired," Alistair breathed with a hint of disgust. "In a terrible way of course, but yes using tiny fluctuations in the blue light you could start poking at certain parts of the brain. In a young person, it would be even more effective. Then you finish up by broadcasting a low-level telepathic field."

"I'm going to have Spock do some alternations on the Bad Wolf coding," Rose offered with a smile. "Upload it into the phone update systems to overwrite their program."

"This won't deal with the immediate problem," Alistair observed as he stepped up next to her.

"No," Rose agreed with a nod of understanding. "But we can keep it from spreading any further."

Her future son smiled and pushed his 'brainy specs' further up his nose. "Well then, I better figure out how to stop them." He paused and glanced towards the TARDIS. "Get Spock to start that process and then you should probably get some rest."

Rose wanted to argue, but she caught sight of a clock in the corner of her eye and felt a rush of exhaustion hit her hard.

"It's three in the morning," Alistair told her gently. "You need to rest."

"But-"

"I promise we'll wake you if anything changes," Alistair assured her with a smile. "But you just solved one piece of the puzzle. Well done."

Rose could hear the silent 'Mum' and the affection in his voice. Too tired to argue, she managed a weak nod and a sigh as she tried not to think about the fact she was being sent to bed by her own future child. As Alistair led her into his TARDIS and the headache eased a little, Rose was struck by a sense that she had something she really needed to ask him about.

"Easy Mum," Alistair whispered to her gently as he opened a door in the main corridor just off the control room. "It'll pass I promise."

"I'm… becoming telepathic aren't I?" Rose forced out with a small groan even as the world went a bit foggy.

"You're starting," Rose heard in reply as she was carefully pushed onto a soft bed. "It'll be a process Mum, try not to worry."

"But I'm…" there was more that she wanted to say along with a feeling that she really should be freaking out more than she was. Instead, her head hit the pillow and a pair of fingertips moved over her forehead. The headache eased a little more. "What did you do?"

"Just reinforced the defences your mind is trying to rally," Alistair explained gently before he pulled off her trainers. "I didn't go into your mind. I promise."

Rose was grateful for that. Even her exhaustion wasn't enough to keep the flash of memory of what the Silver Lord had done at bay. The rush of panic passed as quickly as it had come and her heavy eyelids slid closed.


	25. Dark Minds: Telepathy

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty-Five: Dark Minds: Telepathy

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose woke up slowly, still being lulled by the hum of the TARDIS she was in. For a moment confusion swept through her as she tried to remember why she was even asleep in the TARDIS. She hadn't seen the Tenth Doctor in a while, much less go on a longer trip with him. As she sat up and took in the brightening roundels it all started to come back to her. Rose listened for any sounds of distress outside, but there was nothing. She swung her legs out of the bed and caught sight of a pile of clothes on an armchair by the door that hadn't been there last night, at least she didn't think so. There was a note on top of it in unfamiliar handwriting that Rose climbed out of bed and snatched up.

Rose, thought you might like some fresh clothes. The loo is fully stocked with everything you'll need. –Ella

Her future daughter-in-law had left her clothes. The thought disabled Rose's ability to think for a moment but she soon recovered. There was no explosion of nervous giggles this time and Rose instead took in a deep breath before snatching up the clothes and heading into the attached bathroom. A shower and a few minutes to straighten out her thoughts sounded good.

It was still all so strange to Rose. She'd met Astra before, but that relationship had several years of friendship, a long distance one, but a friendship none the less before she'd learned that Astra was her daughter. Athena was lovely and while Rose was determined to treat the genetically created daughter of the Doctor as her own child, she had been created in a mostly grown form. And apparently by this time would be in a relationship with Jack and someone whose name started with Mel. She wondered if it was a Melissa, a Melinda, a Melody or something alien which was certainly a possibility. Rose chuckled to herself as she started the hot water.

Even with years of time travel and timey-wimey experiences, it seemed that you never got fully used to this. And that was aside from the issue that apparently she was beginning to develop telepathy.

…

Roughly twenty minutes later Rose walked into the empty console room and glanced around for any signs of Alistair, Ella or Adam. Pulling out her phone, Rose set it on the console with the speakerphone on as she began to braid her long damp hair. The strands were slippery but pleasant smelling and Rose wondered just what planet that shampoo came from.

"Hello Rose," Spock greeted calmly.

"Spock, did you get the Bad Wolf virus out?" Rose questioned as she breathed easier than she had for hours.

"I fulfilled your orders last night," Spock assured her. "I pushed the phone and computer updates through last night, even overriding no update orders on computers. I believe that all remnants of the code have been wiped out. Interestingly there were a few instances of it far from Berlin."

"Well, some people travel," Rose pointed out even as she felt a rush of relief. "At least this won't go global. It's creepy enough watching the children march in like that with those vacant expressions."

"Indeed," Spock agreed. "Rose this won't change what is happening in Berlin-"

"I know," Rose cut in softly. "But it does buy Alistair some more time."

"Forgive me but I was unaware that the General was part of the operation there."

"He isn't," Rose answered with a soft giggle erupted from her. "Alistair is uh… this is under my secrets rule Spock."

"Understood."

"He's my future son," Rose whispered into the phone feeling that odd rush of giddiness. "He's pretending to be the Doctor here in Berlin. I'll explain in more detail later, but he's working on how to stop the aliens before things get worse."

"I see," Spock said slowly. "Very well, remain safe."

"Will do," Rose assured him. "Thanks for handling that last night. My instructions couldn't have been very good."

"They were a little off," Spock agreed gently. "But the purpose of your orders were clear."

"Well again, thank you," Rose told him. "I'll be in touch. Keep your guard up," Rose paused and worried her bottom lip. "And do me a favour and keep an eye on the phones of the kids of the companions until I give the all-clear. Just in case they've got something else up their sleeves."

"As you wish," Spock agreed, ending the call.

Letting out a long sigh, Rose gave herself one more moment to collect her composure before she headed for the doorway of the TARDIS. Stepping back into the main workspace, Rose stopped short and stared at the mess surrounding her son and grandson. Half of the UNIT science division had been taking over in a messy work project. Several of the worktables had been pushed together and something that looked like a briefcase was open in from of Alistair and Adam. Long coils were spilling out of the case and bits of metal and glittering plastics had been secured to the inside of the case itself with melted metal, screws and bolts and liquid plastic making it a very strange sight.

Alistair and Adam were both scrambling over a strange thick band of shimmering gold tinted metal with lots of small wires curled around it. Pieces of technology were scattered across the worktable as Alistair brushed his fingers through a pile of small gem looking things until he found a red one.

"What are you making?" Rose asked quickly.

"Telepathic interface," Adam answered as he handed his father another piece of coil. "We're strong enough telepaths that with this we can overpower the signal."

"Giving us time to deal with the Bardonians without hostages," Alistair finished. "Right now…. Well, I'm not going to risk it, not when they have a link into the heads of young people all across Berlin."

"Morning Rose," Ella greeted as she walked over to join them. "UNIT has some breakfast on the way up. I warn you though German breakfasts are a bit more like sandwiches."

"That's fine," Rose chuckled. "I don't think I could deal with a full English this morning anyway."

"You alright?" Alistair asked her, looking over at her with sharp worried eyes.

"I'm fine," Rose assured him with a small smile. "Just a little…" she struggled for the words and then gave up and pointed at her head. "All this."

"The telepathy will grow slowly," Alistair explained gently as he lowered his eyes back to his work. "There's just been too many cowboys through there, too many things that triggered unusual reactions in your brain."

"So it's been happening for awhile," Rose murmured. "How comes the- you've never mentioned it before."

"It isn't strong enough away from a telepathic field to register on my radar," Alistair explained giving Rose a small smile at her catch. "You've got some time before it becomes that strong and once it is don't worry you'll have help."

It would be the Ninth Doctor helping her then. Rose felt a rush of unease at that and just hoped that by that time they'd have at least a stable relationship and not one where he bolted like a rabbit every time things got a little intense. Honestly, it was almost a wonder that Alistair and his sister existed at all. Her son and grandson quickly became lost in their jiggery-pokery and Ella chuckled next to her as they both watched for a moment.

"You gonna help?" Rose questioned softly, unsure of if Ella was just trying to keep her company.

"Me?" Ella chuckled. "No, I'm better with ships, to be honest. I was actually spending some time in my father's home century working at a spaceport when I finally agreed to travel with Alistair."

"I'm sensing there's a story there," Rose remarked, noting the finally in Ella's statement.

"We'd known each other for years. I mean you and my mother are friends, but we didn't each other much as adults. Except we kept meeting, over and over in small little adventures. Me with my vortex manipulator and him with his TARDIS." Ella gave her a pleased little smile over the rim of her cup. "He fell first and kept asking me to come with him. I was a bit slower but agreed to meet him for dates now and then. We'd actually been dating for about three years relatively I suppose when I finally did agree to travel with him in the TARDIS."

Rose almost laughed again but kept herself contained to a smile. She could actually imagine Alistair falling for Ella and politely asking her to meet him at different points in time and space for dates. It was almost normal. Certainly more normal than her relationship with his father had ever been.

"Doctor!" one of the Captains shouted as he rushed into the room. "Something has activated. Hundreds of children are moving towards Kollwitzplatz!"

"Ah," Alistair breathed, a brief flash of panic on his face. "Bit faster than I thought."

"We're not done yet," Adam protested with a slight pout, but the Captain looked terrified.

"We'll finish on the way," Alistair announced as he began to collect bits of wire and stuff them into his pockets. "We've made them angry by stopping the signal." Picking up the briefcase, he gently pressed down on the centre of the odd device and Rose gasped as the whole thing collapsed into the case. He closed it and snapped it shut and gestured towards the TARDIS. "We'll meet you there," Alistair declared. "Allons-y!"

Following her son into the TARDIS, Rose hung back as Adam began reaching up to press different buttons and Ella adjusted the small navigation orb. Alistair handed Ella the briefcase as he took her place and threw a long lever. The ship shook for a moment with the familiar grinding noise echoing inside. The TARDIS materialised again only moments later with a soft thump and Alistair raced past her to open the doors. They stepped outside as a group of UNIT soldiers drew back in silent awe from the TARDIS. Kollwitzplatz seemed bright and welcoming in the rays of the morning sun, but as they all stepped out amongst the UNIT vehicles Rose could see the ship clear as day hanging over the playground. The metal was shimmering in the sunlight and locals beyond the barriers were taking pictures with their phones. Rose wondered if this would be the one that would finally convince the world or if it would be written off as one more elaborate hoax. Next, to her, Alistair was using the sonic screwdriver to adjust a few more things in the briefcase that Ella was calmly holding open for him. Rose got the sense that her daughter-in-law was a bit used to this.

Rose looked around to try and see the whole of Kollwitzplatz. Rose gasped as she turned and watched the small army of children and teenagers marching up the street as if in a trance. Parents and other adults were hurrying along with them, calling their names and trying to wrestle them away from the group. But the horde just kept moving. They moved around the UNIT blockade and paid no attention at all to the soldiers. Rose called for Adam and Ella as she moved forward to get a better look.

Their eyes were glazed over as if they were sleepwalking and Rose wondered if that might be try. They were in a trace and a shiver went down her spine as she felt a twitch of sympathy and memory. She could remember how it felt to be someone's puppet, for your mind to be fighting every step of the way.

"They've activated all of them," Alistair observed behind her. "No point in trying to keep it quiet and too low numbers now."

"How could they get so many?" Rose whispered as she looked at the rows and rows of people crowded into the street. There were hundreds, probably more than a thousand.

"Wi-Fi, just like you said. You infect at popular public locations like the nearby coffee shops and it spreads from one computer to the next as kids link to the newest Wi-Fi signal. Give it a few months and if the program doesn't cause anything bad, no one notices." He pulled out the mystery phone and looked down at it with a frown.

Moving to a bench, Alistair waved back one of the UNIT officers and set down the briefcase. Rose saw a couple of people from the science department push their way forward and look at it eagerly. He pulled out what looked like some sort of circlet crown that hooked by long cables into the rest of the machine. Without a word, Alistair placed the device on his head and Rose moved over next to him. The device was a crisscross mess of wires, soldered metal with bits of alien tech attracted here and there. Oddest of all was that there was a small USB port just to the right of a large half orb right in the centre. The orb began to flicker slightly as Alistair let out a sigh.

"Alistair?" Rose asked softly.

"Easy Mum," he whispered back with a smile. "Just need to override their command signal. Piece of cake, I promise."

The orb began to glow as bright white colour with small flickered of blue dancing across the surface as Alistair hummed softly. Ella joined them a moment later, holding tightly to Adam's hand though neither of them looked too worried. Above them, the ship's hum was becoming louder and stronger. The ache in Rose's head returned with a vengeance and Adam suddenly reached over to grab her hand, squeezing it tightly and somehow making the ache ease a tiny bit. She focused on Alistair who grit his teeth and glared up at the ship as the central orb glowed more brightly.

Something washed over her mind like a gush of cool water on a hot day. The pain eased and Rose felt something shift. It was similar to how she'd felt when the Silver Lord's control had been broken, but not exactly the same. Her eyes burned and she had to close them and force herself to take a deep breath. Around them, she could hear shouting and sounds of alarm as the parents and teachers who'd followed the children either ran or kept trying to get the kids' attention. The orb flashed a few times as Rose opened her eyes and the hum of the ship above them changed.

Rose wasn't sure what she was expecting, she wasn't sure what Alistair was even doing. Suddenly he seemed very alien to her again and an uncomfortable turn in her stomach reminded her that apparently, she was becoming telepathic too. Then suddenly the ship above them began to float higher into the sky. Soft cries began to erupt from the children around them and Rose spun around to find kids shaking their heads and pointing up at the ship with awestruck expressions. It floated higher and higher into the air and began to fade from sight once more. Rose felt a prodding at her head again, but then it all faded away leaving only the sounds of the shocked and relieved people and the birds.

"Doctor!" Captain Fischer called he jogged out, looking confused and out of breath. "Is that it? Is it over?"

"Yep," Alistair replied calmly as he traced the skies. "They're leaving."

"What will happen to them?"

"Oh I've alerted the Shadow Proclamation to them using nontelepathic creatures as a source of energy," Alistair explained with a lazy shrug as he pulled off the tech circlet and tossed it over the top of the orb. "But they won't be back here." Alistair nodded to the confused children. "Good luck with the clean up on this one though Captain."

"That it for us then?" Ella questioned, stepping up behind her son and putting her hands on Adam's shoulders.

"Probably best," Alistair agreed. "Before anything bad happens with the timelines."

Alistair held out his hand to Rose with a grin and she took it, still fighting back a headache and confusion. Captain Fischer was still looking confused like he was trying to remember something or come up with something to say. Alistair gave him a small smile and nodded.

"Thank you for your help Captain, it was appreciated," Alistair told him politely before starting to lead them all back towards the TARDIS.

"Doctor?" the Captain asked as he eyed the closed briefcase on the bench. "Aren't you going to take that with you?"

"Oh put it in the Black Archive," Alistair told the Captain with a shrug, looking back over his shoulder. "It's genetically locked, you can't use it. Only my family."

"Your family," the officer repeated carefully and Rose could feel his eyes moving over to her. Lovely the idea had been officially seeded now, but then again maybe that was what Alistair had wanted.

"Really?" Rose questioned with a frown. "You're just going to leave it on Earth."

"You lot can't use it," Alistair chuckled but he winked at her.

"What if you need it?"

"I built it in…oh six hours, I can build another." He paused and his expression became a bit more serious. "Besides you might need it." Alistair gave Rose a lazy shrug and a smile. "Just so you know you don't have to use the headpiece. If you were to input a signal into the machine it would work as a telepathic hub itself and broadcast that signal. Not a bad piece of work for a quick job, but then I'm pretty good at gadgets in this body at least."

Rose wasn't sure what to make of that but nodded. "And the kids?" Rose questioned uneasily. "Well, their brains revert to normal or is this going to be a lifelong thing?"

"It'll take time," Alistair explained carefully looking as if he was measuring every word. "Without telepathic stimulus on a similar frequency then this won't be a problem again."

Following the small family into their TARDIS, Rose felt that wave of astonishment wash over her again. She chuckled lightly when Adam yawned loudly and rubbed his eyes. The little Time Lord seemed to be getting sleepy. Ella smiled and shared a soft look with her before she reached down and gently ruffled her son's hair.

"Time to say goodbye to Gran," Ella told him and Rose inwardly gasped at the casual way she said it.

Adam nodded in understanding and turned back to her. Rose knelt down and opened her arms to hug the young boy tightly as he grasped her in an eager hug. Over his head, she saw Alistair look on fondly as he crossed his arms and leaned against the console. Slowly she released Adam who leaned up to kiss her cheek. Then he turned to his mother and took her hand. Ella gave Rose a smile and vanished back into the TARDIS with Adam.

"Well it's been interesting Mummy," Alistair remarked with a wide grin. "Thanks for the help." He frowned a little. "Sorry, you didn't even get breakfast."

"I'll make UNIT feed me before flying back to Cambridge," Rose chuckled before she took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I still feel like I'm in a bit of shock, to be honest."

"Well as you recall Dad didn't exactly take meeting Astra the first time calmly," he reminded her with a soft laugh. "She was talking about that for months. Kept giggling."

Rose smiled at the mental image that created. It was nice to know it wasn't just her and apparently Alistair and Ella would be in the same situation with Adam at least once. She wanted to say something witty about not wanting grandchildren too soon or something like that, but nothing came out. Instead, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Alistair in a tight hug. He seemed to understand and calmly returned the hug. Her son smells a lot like his father with a hint of earthy soil in addition to the scent she'd also associated with time.

"Take care of yourself Alistair," Rose told him firmly as she forced herself to step back. "And this family of yours."

"I will Mum, try not to worry." He gave her another fond look. "And remember I'm from an era where if there's trouble there are others I can call. I've got you and Dad, my sisters and family friends. We do just fine."

It was a relief to hear. A huge relief to hear and settled something churning under Rose's heart. She nodded and tried to think of something more to say. No words came and she settled for stepping forward and kissing her future son on the cheek.

"If I don't see you again before you're born then know that I'm going to love you very much."

"I'm confident you'll see me again. Timelines around you are always a bit messy," Alistair told her. "And you are loved very much as well, Mum."

Rose couldn't say it in return. The instinct was there and she wondered if this telepathy and time travel thing made her open to different out of synch emotions. That seemed like a stretch, but she felt a bit teary as she nodded to Alistair. It was hard to leave this TARDIS. So much about it was familiar and a very human part of her wanted more information, more answers to what the future would hold. Instead, Rose turned and stepped back out into Kollwitzplatz. She got a few looks from the UNIT soldiers, but calmly turned and smiled as she watched the TARDIS carrying yet another part of her future vanish into the Time Vortex.


	26. Durmino Empire: Call to Arms

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty-Six: Durmino Empire: Call to Arms

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose Tyler moved amongst the bookshelves thoughtfully. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but was confident that she'd know when she found it. The stacks of the Cambridge University hadn't been a common location for her to go over the past few years. With her science and computer science based classes it was rare to find anything new enough to be of use for her assignments here. Still she had a paper to write and was lacking inspiration for a topic.

All of a sudden Rose felt an off prickling over her skin. It was strange, but also very familiar to her. Tensing up, Rose moved further into the stacks beyond the sight of anyone or any cameras she hoped as the energy continued to tingle across her skin. It became harder to breathe as the energy level increased further. Summoning her sword, Rose almost braced herself but remembered that it wouldn't do much good. Her last thought as the world fell away in a wave of blue light was that maybe she needed to start wearing that biodamper ring.

Things came back quickly and Rose found herself in a rather stark white room except for a console of controls. A familiar-looking alien was standing at the controls in a crisp and clean dark blue uniform with a familiar face next to her. As the female alien smiled sadly Rose forced herself to relax.

"Alenica," Rose greeted in surprise, allowing her sword to retract and putting her hands on her hips as she studied the Durmino Princess. "What- uh hi."

"Hello Star Knight Rose," Alenica greeted in a soft muted tone as Rose took her in.

Alenica regal face was tight with worry and the normal bluish tint on her pale skin was almost invisible. Her eyes were wide as even, but the blue color was dull and dark with sorrow. A dark blue scarf was hiding Alenica's deer like ears from Rose's view and she was dressed in a somber dark blue gown. Rose's mind went unbidden to the Doctor's remark once that blue was a much more universal color of mourning. That conversation had dimmed her affection for the color, but at least it wasn't purple.

"Alenica what has happened?" Rose questioned.

"Forgive me for summoning you like this," Alenica implored quickly, stepping forward and took one of Rose's hands. "You are not one of my subjects and I do not have the right, but I desperately need your help."

"I'll help if I can," Rose assured the distracted princess. "Tell me everything."

"My father, Emperor Reikigot is dead," Alenica forced out through a soft sob. "Murdered. The Empire is under attack by a space Warlord known as Khandrin. I believe they had him killed."

"What about the Otharans?"

"Their fleet is tied up four systems over dealing with another Sycorax enslaved planet and Khandrin has already attacked their flank. There had been meetings in the Shadow Proclamation about if action should be taken against him. We were in favour and this seems to be our punishment."

Invasion, murder and politics, lovely.

"Uh alright then," Rose breathed uneasily. "Perhaps we should start with some basics," she remarked scrambling for something to say.

"Indeed," Alenica agreed with visible relief. She stepped out from behind the control panel and extended her hand to Rose. "I have a room prepared for you. It will be a couple of hours before we arrive. We can discuss the situation."

"It would also help if I knew some basics about the empire," Rose added carefully as she took the Princess' hand.

"Of course, all rooms have an information system. You can look up anything in the Durmino Empire files," Alenica assured her with an eager nod. "Just… please, I can't do this alone."

"If your father is dead then aren't you Empress now?" Rose questioned as they stepped out into the corridor beyond.

"Well I am… in a way, but it isn't official until my coronation," Alenica explained uneasily. "And I'm afraid that if the situation with Khandrin isn't resolved soon that the faction still wanting us to be conquerors may make an attempt at power."

Rose nodded, she'd almost forgotten about that. She'd met Alenica when that faction under a General tried to frame her planet for the assassination of Alenica. Rose had barely prevented the interplanetary incident then and she could imagine that the chaos of an invasion of the Empire might be too tempting. It was an ugly thought, the idea that rather than rallying to protect their people and planet some might just see it as a way to gain power for their agenda.

"Here Star Knight," Alenica called, stopping in front of a metallic door that slid into the wall as it opened for them.

The room was fairly small, looking like something out of a science fiction show with sleek white walls, rounded deep windows looking out at the passing stars and a bed secured to the wall. There was a small desk coming out of the wall with a comfortable looking chair on each side. Small, but very serviceable for such a short trip.

"I'm sorry it isn't anything becoming a Star Knight," Alenica apologised surprising Rose. "I brought one of our faster ships. The warships couldn't be spared."

"It's lovely," Rose told her quickly as she sat down at the desk and turned the screen of the computer like device towards her. Thankfully it looked very simple. "Please sit down and let's go over everything."

The princess nodded and sat down across from Rose, giving her a moment to study the other young woman. She didn't know too much about Alenica's people, but her normally soft blue skin was pale and her ears seemed to be turned back as if she was afraid. Staying silent, Rose gave Alenica a moment to gather her thoughts while she marvelled at how in control the young woman still was. Her father had been murdered and yet she was focusing on finding ways to protect her people.

"Khandrin is a warlord from the Betisit system," Alenica explained in a tight, but controlled voice. "He gained his first ships while working as a smuggler and pirate. Gradually he gained more and more men and ships. Then he started taking slaves and selling them."

"I'm surprised slavery is a thing with all the technology available," Rose remarked with a frown before the possibilities hit her. "Uh anyway, no one tried to stop him."

"Rumour is that a mysterious alien called the Doctor stopped one of his slave runs and shut down the entire system's slave market," Alenica informed her as Rose held back a smile. "But it didn't stop him for long. He's conquered several worlds and lost them only to come back again. He's survived massive battles and some say that he can't die."

"I have a hard time believing that," Rose sighed though the idea of a space warlord who kept resurfacing no matter the defeat was intimidating.

"He has a reputation as a great commander, but also isn't afraid to use underhanded tactics."

"You were able to come to Earth to get me," Rose observed quickly. "Does that mean you were off planet or was it not surrounded?"

"No, not yet anyway," Alenica agreed with a nod. "And teleportation signals are almost impossible to completely cut off so full blockade is impossible. But it still represents a major problem."

Rose nodded carefully, leaning back in her chair and licking her lips. There was a bad feeling creeping up her spine that she couldn't put her finger on. Maybe it was the idea of saving another world from invasion, the knowledge that even the Doctor hadn't permanently put a stop to this warlord or the weight of expectation she could feel from Alenica's eyes. Thanks to the Princess' culture and their regard of Star Knights, she had a tendency to see her in the best possible light. It was partially her own fault, but that didn't mean that Rose wasn't still nervous.

"Anything else?" Rose questioned, leaning forward and folding her hands.

"I'm afraid not. Khandrin has ordered that I meet with him in a few hours. We'll arrive shortly before then and I'd like you to come with me."

"You're going to meet with him after he demanded it?" Rose questioned as that uneasy feeling surged again. "Is that wise? It has to be dome sort of trap."

"It will buy time," Alenica answered softly, looking too defeated. "He has the ability to do serious damage to my planet."

"Were there no ships in orbit to protect the planet?"

"There were three battle cruisers in our solar system, but… he got the drop of two of them and ambushed them by hiding in the magnetic field of one of our gas giants. The third ship was able to destroy four of his ships but took heavy damage. Most of the fleet is still two days travel away, but seven cruisers from other sectors are on their way." Alenica gestured to the computer at Rose's side. "I have some things-"

"I'll familiarise myself," Rose finished gently. "I understand. Thank you Alenica."

"No, thank you Star Knight Rose," Alenica told her with a grateful smile. "So very much."

Rose nodded even as Alenica stood and left the room. The sudden silence was heavy and Rose turned the screen of the computer towards her. For a moment she was a bit lost but quickly discovered that it responded to her touch and began to sort through the library. Rose was uncertain as the whole of the Durmion Empire's knowledge opened to her but decided that their information on Khandrin and the legalities of succession was the best place to start. As the requested information came up, Rose inwardly sighed and resigned herself to a lot of reading.

A couples hours later a soft chime overhead pulled Rose from her musing and research, alerting her that something was happening. It wasn't an alarm but was enough to get her attention and Rose stood up from the desk. In the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a planet coming into view and smiled despite the seriousness of the situation. Rose had never been to the Durmion Empire much less their capital planet Durmion. Her interactions with Alenica had thus far taken place in Earth's orbit and on Etheian when she'd helped with treaty negotiations. She hadn't thought too much of what the planet would be like, convinced that she'd see it one day. If nothing else she'd ask the Doctor to bring her here.

Large cities covered much of the planet's surface, appearing like great white seas from orbit with small islands of green scattered throughout. Between the cities were lush patches of bright leaf green and the continents were defined by bright blue seas. It resembled Earth in appearance more than Rose had been expecting. Chuckling at herself, Rose rolled her shoulders and took a deep breath. She didn't have a plan yet as it was, but she'd stand with Alenica during the next contact and just see what happened. Behind her, the door slid open and Rose turned to find a woman in the Durmino blue fitted uniform.

"Star Knight," she greeted with a bow before Rose could say anything. "Her Majesty requests that you accompany her down to the planet."

…..

The teleport down to the planet felt shakier than the one from Earth and Rose wondered if their enemy might not be trying to block them. It was a worrying idea, but Alenica calmly stepped off the platform with her white cloak fluttering behind her. Rose followed her, trying to look confident and relaxed even as the staff nearby gaped at her and their eyes all moved to the golden cuff bracelet on her right wrist. Staying near Alenica, Rose took quick glanced around in an attempt to stay building a mental map of the area. The bad feeling hadn't gone away and was getting a little worse with every step.

They stepped into a large white room that was brightly lit with control consoles and screens lining all the walls. Several of Alenica's people in uniforms of shades of blue stood up as they entered and dropped into low bows to the Princess. Waving her hand, Alenica nodded in recognition to them.

"At ease," she called calmly, looking every bit in control and Rose felt a jolt of respect.

The doors on the far side of the room slid open and a tall Durmion man strode in with a scowl etched into his features. Judging from the crisp blue uniform and markings on it, this was a man of great importance. Rose was guessing a general as she'd seen a similar uniform before. He stopped and for a moment they just studied each other. While Alenica had long braided hair, his was cropped short making his large deer-like ears really stand out. His ears were turned forward, alert and he finally nodded.

"Princess Alenica," he greeted turning his attention back to the Princess and bowing. "I am pleased you have safely returned.

"Any new developments?"

"Not yet, battle cruiser Yukivo reports it will be here in four standard hours, but-"

"It can't do much alone," Alenica finished with a nod. "It seems that using Khandrin's talks remains our best option."

"I don't like it," the man replied with a huff. "While having you hand over the Empire would make all this legal before the Shadow Proclamation, he could just as easily use it as a chance to kill you."

"That is why I'm asking Star Knight Rose to accompany me," Alenica replied calmly, gesturing to Rose.

"So this is the Star Knight," the General remarked thoughtfully. Thankfully Rose saw mostly curiosity in his eyes though there was a hint of doubt. "I bid you welcome," he greeted more formerly this time, giving her a small bow. "And I extend my thanks to you coming in our time of need, Her Majesty has great faith in you. I am General Tokius, it means one who leads."

"Pleasure to meet you," Rose returned carefully, unsure if Tokius actually liked her being there or not.

The large table began to glow and 3-D images appeared above it showing the planet and a small fleet of ships. Rose swallowed thickly at the sight of them, understanding the General and Alenica's worry fully. The planet was partially surrounded with only a few gaps, the very gaps that Alenica must have used.

"Thankfully they haven't settled into full blockade mode yet," the General remarked as he studied the display with sharp blue eyes. "Once they do it will be difficult to transport enough food to keep the population healthy."

"Have they made any demands?" Rose questioned.

"Surrender the Imperial Throne," Alenica answered darkly with a scowl. "Nothing new, but Khandrin isn't budging on his desire to take over Durmino."

"And then no doubt conquer more territory," Tokius added with a deepening frown. "He knows that our forces are tied up with the Sycorax."

"But they won't be that long surely," Rose insisted with the feeling she was missing something. "He can't truly think that people will stand for this."

"If I willing give him the throne then in accordance with our laws it all becomes legal," Alenica explained gently before sighing. "He doesn't need to fight to hold it."

"Which is why we can't let him back us into a corner," Tokius insisted, straightening up. "We need to counter attack."

"A battle so close to the planet will create fallout," Alenica countered with a shake of her head. "One more reason why I'm sure he's certain we won't attack." She looked at Rose and nodded towards the images of the long rough looking space ships. "Khandrin's fleet is purposefully old. The weapons are state of the art, but the engine systems are unstable and if destroyed can cause a great deal of damage to the ships that attack him."

Another chime echoed through the room making Alenica tense. Rose looked over at her sharply and frowned as the Princess exhaled slowly. A disgusted look took over Tokius' face and he all but growled, "Is there nothing I can say, Your Majesty?"

"Unless you have a way to make our fleet return home faster or use the planetary defences to destroy Khandrin's fleet without the fallout killing our people there is not," Alenica replied with a hint of defeat in her voice. She turned her eyes to Rose and held her chin high. "Will you come with me, Rose?"

"Of course," Rose forced out as her stomach tried to turn. She'd give it ten minutes and if things were going badly then she was calling the Doctor. "Lead the way."

It didn't occur to Rose that she might not even have ten minutes.


	27. Durmino Empire: Bad Feeling

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Durmino Empire: Bad Feeling

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Khandrin's Warship was anything but friendly and welcoming. It was dark and felt closed in without any windows and only small reddish lights along the floor for guidance in the teleport room. The room itself was small and round in shape with only a small set of controls running along the wall to their right. Next, to her, Alenica didn't make any sound of alarm and in the corner of her eye Rose took in the Princess. She looked calm and confident, every inch a woman who was about to become an Empress without the worry Rose knew had to be churning in her stomach visible. Rose, on the other hand, had to fight not to fidget in discomfort. Even the temperature was a touch too low for her and she was feeling.

The room was very empty. Rose's eyes swept around waiting for someone to arrive and greet them. On impulse, she stepped off the teleport platform and moved in front of Alenica. The pair of guards with them moved in front of them both. Each guard had a small hand weapon and their swords strapped to their hips. Still, nothing came into the room either through the doorway or via a message.

Dropping her right arm, Rose shifted her fingers for a moment, preparing herself to summon her sword if needed. The temperature seemed to drop again and Rose was about to tell Alenica that they were in trouble when a door on the far side slid open. A tall being in dark red and black armour stepped into the room with some sort of staff weapon in its hands.

"Security robot," Alenica explained behind her in a low voice. "It's alright."

"Robot huh," Rose muttered to herself, noting some resemblance between this model and the ones that had come to find Gavin all those years ago. Maybe the same manufacturer. "Robots are good."

She could destroy robots without any moral issues.

The robot said nothing and a moment later another one entered behind it. Ahead of them, the guards shifted uneasily and Rose fought to stay still and look calm, but it wasn't easy. That sense of danger was prickling at the back of her next and now she had the sense that she was being watched. Despite her desire to stay still, Rose turned and looked back over her shoulder just to confirm that there was no one behind her.

"I am the Princess Alenica of the Durmino Empire," Alenica announced, raising her chin and eying the robots. "I was invited to this vessel by Khandrin and insist on seeing him at once."

Nothing happened. The robots didn't move from their position at the doorway and there was no verbal response to Alenica.

"I demand to see Khandrin," Alenica repeated too calmly for Rose's nerves. "He wished to discuss the terms of this invasion and peaceful resolution."

"Meeting cancelled," the robot answered dully. "No longer necessary."

"What do you mean no longer necessary?" Alenica demanded. "The Shadow Proclamation has been informed of the blockade and the Durmino Empire fleet is in route. For the survival of both parties a settlement must be discussed."

Rose's hand twitched and she looked to the side as much as she could. That ill feeling was back and her left hand began to creep down into her bag towards her phone. She could feel the bracelet on her wrist humming in response to her worry and barely suppressed desire to summon it. Not yet, she told herself. It hadn't been ten minutes yet and there might not truly be anything wrong.

"If the meeting is cancelled then Princess Alenica must be returning to her planet," Rose offered, shifting once again and trying to look impressive in her jeans and old t-shirt.

"Sorry!" a humanoid voice called from the hallway and the robots parted to allow a thin and pale humanlike man with greenish skin to enter the room. He was dressed in long dark robes and something about him reminded Rose of a villain from a bad science fiction movie. "So very sorry Your Majesty." He swept forward and bowed with a smile that made Rose grab her phone. She noted his eyes darting over to her, but said nothing as he straightened up. "Please follow me. There has been a delay with Lord Khandria's arrival, but the talks will begin shortly as planned."

Their guide turned and gestured to the large robots which stepped back to allow their small party to move forward. Rose tried to catch Alencia's eye, but the Princess was looking ahead calmly though Rose was certain that she was aa nervous as she was. They stepped out into a corridor that was even larger than the entire transport room with the same smooth red-tinted walls. The sound of heavy footfalls was echoing down the corridor like a marching platoon was nearby and Rose saw a flicker of worry in Alencia's eyes.

Following their still unnamed guide down the corridor, Rose kept glancing around to try and build a mental map. She could see access panels and ports built into the walls and noted that there were no exterior windows in this area at least.

"Is this the flagship?" one of their guards asked softly, almost sounding surprised at the sound of his own voice.

"No, this is not my Lord's ship," their guide all but muttered. "This is merely a welcoming vessel, more neutral territory."

Rose wasn't sure how she felt about that, but they then arrived at a doorway that slid open to allow them inside the next room. It was a large room with a heavy metallic table and chairs. A small porthole window looked down over the planet and their guide bowed to Alenica. It was stark and rather Spartan, but there was no sign of weapons and the robots remained outside while their own guards stayed very close to the Princess.

"We will begin shortly," their guide told them with another bow. "I will fetch refreshments and check on the status of My Lord's arrival."

Standing by Alenica silently, Rose watched him leave and frowned, pulling out her phone. The bad feeling was still there and the more she learned about the situation the worse it got. She didn't understand why this warlord would invade an empire whose ships would be on them soon. Even if he could make it legal in the eyes of the Shadow Proclamation surely he didn't think that the population and military would just accept it.

"What are you doing?" Alecia questioned. "Rose?"

"Something isn't right," Rose hissed softly as she moved her finger to the speed dial. "I'm calling for help."

The air suddenly began to smell of ozone and Rose flung out her arm as she moved to summon her sword. A hissing sound filled the air and Rose's knees buckled. She tried to press the speed dial, but Shareen's voice came through the phone a moment later as her fingers slipped and her eyesight blurred. Holding her breath, she called her sword forth and tightened her grip around the comforting weight. She looked around only to find a thick bluish smoke billowing into the meeting room. Alenica was already on her knees coughing and Rose felt her own lungs burning. Her fingers tightened around her phone and she shifted her thumb, trying to call the TARDIS, but then everything became hazy. There was only one last flicker of awareness of her knees hit the ground. Her phone slipped from her hand as Rose grabbed for the end of the table. Her last conscious thought and action was guiding herself down the floor.

Distantly, as the darkness at the edge of her eyes swept in Rose heard someone say, "That was easier than I thought."

….

The hum of engines was oddly lulling, but the sound wasn't quite right. It was too harsh, too artificial to be comforting and yet it was sort of familiar. Humming softly, Rose shifted her head to find a more comfortable position in her bed only for her head to roll too far. There was a slight jarring in her neck that was very uncomfortable and sent a rush of adrenaline through her system.

She was coming back to awareness very slowly, her mind heavy and fuzzy. Her mouth tasted terrible and Rose had a strange sense that she was floating even as she became aware of a pain in her arms. She tried to stay still and listened, but she couldn't hear anything. Her senses felt dull, but Rose was aware that the weight of her shoulder bag was gone. Which meant that her phone was gone.

Groaning, Rose forced her eyes open and inwardly grimaced. Her hands were bound above her head in what felt like a very traditional chain with her hanging from the ceiling. That explained the pain in her shoulders and arms and Rose could feel her awareness slowly returning. Her shoulders and arms were already screaming in protest at the position though Rose could feel a platform of some sort a few inches below her feet. Stretching out her toes, Rose allowed some of her weight to settle on the platform before. The pressure eased a little and Rose took in a deep breath, fighting off the lingering effect of the gas. Rose carefully moved her wrist, seeing if she could summon her sword, but the angle was wrong. Of course, that figured as this lot would know about the sword and would have noticed they couldn't remove it.

She should have called the Doctor when no one had met them in the teleport room. Frustration pounded through her at the memory of her plan to call if things didn't seem right and then her utter failure to call when the gas had started. He'd never let her hear the end of this one. She hated playing the damsel in distress; it was just so… aggravating. Rose grit her teeth and looked out into the darkness around her. The air smelled sweet and almost fresh which helped to dispel the lingering haze in her mind. There was no sign or sound of Alenica. Then she heard something moving just beyond her sight and forced herself to stay very still.

"She's awake milord," a simpering voice declared. "The Star Knight is awake."

Rose couldn't quite remember what happened, but already had the sense that it hadn't been good. They'd been gassed, but apparently not killed which meant that they wanted something. She'd been captured but forced herself to stay calm. Panic wouldn't help her and maybe she could at least get some answers. She turned her attention towards the right side of the large dark room she was in. A moment later everything began brighter as chandeliers above her were illuminated and revealed a large room that reminded Rose of a ballroom in the films. She held in a gasp of surprise and worry, wondering if this was the same ship as before or if she was on the planet now. Her eyes darted over to a row of windows looking out into space along the left side of the room. Not on the planet then, but no telling what ship she was on. Then she spotted a small figure was waiting by a large doorway on the right side.

It was a small almost twisted little humanoid, only three feet tall with large bluish-purple eyes and wrinkled grey skin. The species wasn't familiar, but the giddy why it was looking at her made Rose nervous. He was wearing a dark cloak outfit like their earlier guide with a heavy chain of some sort around his neck like a gaudy necklace. Scurrying over, he eyed her carefully before turning back towards the door.

"Who are you?" Rose demanded in as calm a voice as she could manage.

"I am Perijacks," he answered with a small exaggerate bow and a chuckle. "The Stewart of the Great Emperor Khandrin."

"Khandrin," Rose repeated with a sigh. "Figures. Course I heard he was a Warlord, not an Emperor," she added rebelliously.

"Semitics," Perijacks scoffed before the sound of heavy footfalls made him tense and Rose looked back towards the doorway.

A large alien with dark blue skin and horns protruding from its forehead and curling back over its head stepped into the room. He was dressed in what appeared to be a heavy metal battle suit made of the same reddish metal as the ship she'd been gassed on. Every footfall echoed in the room as he came forward to stand in front of Rose with Perijacks rushing along beside him. Large yellow eyes focused on Rose and she felt her stomach turn as fear rushed through her. Gripping the chains above her head, Rose tried to shift her wrist once again as she waited.

"So," Khandrin announced in a low growl. "This is the Star Knight Rose Tyler. Lover of the Doctor."

A terrible sharp teeth smile took over the alien's face as he met her brown eyes with his yellow ones. That bad feeling was back and worse than ever.


	28. Durmino Empire: Fighter

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Durmino Empire: Fighter

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Staring at the alien warlord, Rose tried to keep her breathing steady and look calm even as she kept carefully shifting her right wrist to find an angle that would allow her to summon her sword and cut the chain. Khandrin smirked and a soft chuckle escaped him, seemingly amused by her refusal to be frightened of him.

"I hope," Rose forced out past the bubbling anger in her stomach. "That my relationship status wasn't the reason for this attack."

"If you are in danger then the Doctor will come," Khandrin announced before a booming laugh that echoed in the room escaped him. "He will be distracted and stupid! Love is a weakness and I will make sure that he never thwarts me again."

"You can destroy him to protect your empire and take Durmion in one great move," Perijacks cheered beside Khandrin.

"Seriously," Rose growled, her fingers tightening around the chain. A burst of adrenaline rushed through her and Rose recalled those years of gymnastics, using the extra strength to hoist herself a little higher. "That's what this is about!" Rose shouted, not even trying to contain her anger. "You killed Emperor Reikigot to get at the Doctor!?"

"No," Perijacks chuckled. "It all come together though in the end. When Princess Alenica sought to summon you my great master allowed it on my suggestion. We already had the Durmion Empire, but the Doctor has meddled in the past. With Alenica bringing you here we could finally once and for all destroy him."

"Well one I'm relieved that my personal life isn't what started this given that you killed the father of a friend of mine," Rose admitted tightly as she fought to control her voice. "But you've missed something very very important about me and the Doctor."

"Don't try to deny it," Perijacks insisted. "You are the Doctor's love. You love him and he loves you."

"Oh, I'm not going to deny that." Rose laughed as she carefully adjusted her hand and gripped the chains tightly. Her arms were beginning to ache, but she still had enough strength to try something very heroic and dramatic. "But here's the thing, I love that daft Time Lord, but I certainly don't need or want him to be always rescuing me. We try to keep in even: I save him and he saves me, rinse and repeat. That's the important thing you missed because it reveals that at the end of the day I'm no damsel in distress."

With one more burst of strength, Rose pulled herself a little higher and called her sword. For a moment her shoulder screamed in protest of the position, but there was a sharp slick metallic sound. Rose could feel the expanding blade striking something and a second later the pressure eased. Falling to the ground, Rose growled as the shackles of the chain kept her hands bound and her knees hit the cold tiled floor.

There was a roar above her. Rose dove to the side, rolling away from the sound of Khandrin. The weight of the shackles was a bit difficult to manage as she tried to adjust her sword. As she started to climb to her feet, Perijacks came rushing towards her, bending over to grab the chain.

"Oh hell no," Rose growled, swinging her arms to make the chain slash wildly in the air. She caught a bit of it in her left hand and swung again, this time with more control. The cut end of the chain struck Perijacks across the face and Rose glanced towards the doorway. She could hear a commotion already rising out there and wondered how and when they'd triggered the alarm.

Khandrin was marching towards her, his armour making his footfalls echo in the room and Rose found herself torn between fight and flight for a moment. The alien was upon her and Rose swung the chain again. With a deep laugh, Khandrin caught it and tugged, bringing Rose skidding across the floor. He pulled sharply and Rose fell forward to the ground. The air rushed from her lungs, but as the adrenaline pounded through her veins Rose kept fighting back. Her sword shifted and returned to bracelet form in a second giving Rose a chance to shift her wrist as Khandrin tugged on the chain. Summoning her sword again, Rose listened to the sharp metallic hiss as the right shackle was cut off as the sword shifted into blade form.

Khandrin roared again, but Rose was already moving and sliced cleanly through the start of the chain on her left wrist leaving the shackle. The chain held by Khandrin dropped uselessly to the floor with a loud clang. Rolling to the side, Rose forced herself up onto her knees and slashed forward with her sword. Khandrin leapt back across the room in a tremendous arc that took him over thirty feet back. As he landed with a crunching sound echoing from the tiles, he gave Rose a sharp pleased smile.

"Excellent!" he roared, the word resonating through the room.

Looking around frantically, Rose didn't see her bag or more importantly her phone and sonic pen anywhere. She caught sight of the door again and heard the sounds of more robots marching towards them. Flight won this time and while Khandrin was laughing, Rose bolted for the door. Thankfully the double doors were open, but three of the large robots were bearing down on her. Swinging her sword, Rose grimaced at the high pitched sound of metal on metal as she sliced into the leg of the first one.

A second made a grab for her as the first one tumbled to the side and stuck the third robots. Rose ducked down to avoid the metallic arms and thrust her sword back into its leg. There was another terrible sound and Rose turned her whole body and began dragging the sword up through its leg. As it began to collapse, Rose pulled her sword back and sliced off the head of the second robots which was trying to get up from under the weight of the first. She had to half jump over the pile of metal and started running to the right, sparing a glance back towards the doorway. Khandrin didn't seem to be following her just yet.

Rose rushed down the corridors, noting that the elegance of the ballroom vanished at the junction up ahead and returned to being smaller corridors of reddish metal. There were small nooks every couple of feet in front of service panels to keep the main corridors open for traffic and Rose slowed down enough so she could glance into them all, bracing herself for an ambush. In the distance she could hear the pounding of more robots and glanced down the forking corridors, feeling fear clawing at her as she accepted that she had no idea where she was going.

Another pair of robots came around the corner as Rose slipped into the small cranny and waited. At least these things were loud enough to give her plenty of warning she reflected as she held her breath and waited. They appeared a moment later and Rose dropped low and sliced into the leg of the closer one. It tried to grab onto the wall and she slipped out from the cranny before it could fall on her. Her sword flashed in front of her, slicing into the arms of the robot as they tried to grab her. There was a shower of sparks and Rose flinched as some of them fell on her bare arms, but she felt moving the blade. Both of the robots collapsed with a high pitched whining sound and Rose released the breath she'd been holding.

Stepping around the carnage, Rose made herself keep moving. She kept her sword out and ready as she listened for any more sounds. Yet the ship had gone strangely silent. She was surrounded by the loud hum of the engines and could feel the vibrations in the floor and walls. It wasn't the smoothest ship but based on what Alencia had told her that made sense. Rose began to slow down a little more and being more mindful of the noise she was making. As the rush of adrenaline began to ease, Rose ran a hand through her messy blonde hair and tried to start making a plan.

She ducked into one of the small nooks with an access panel as she heard the thumping of more robots. Opening the clasp of her necklace, Rose slipped the bidamper ring off the chain and quickly slid it onto her thumb. At the end of the corridor, the robots suddenly stopped in surprise and a soft sigh of relief escaped Rose. Panting slightly, Rose knelt down and pressed her fingers against the edge of one of the access panels. It opened with a soft scratching sound, folding up above the square opening.

There was something horribly universal about crawling through service access tunnels. This one was fairly large, but the robots would never have fit inside. Rose hadn't seen any humanoid crew members except for the one that greeted them and Perijacks which made her wonder if these access tunnels were even used much. Shifting all the way inside, Rose carefully lowered the hatch down behind her just before the robot lumbered by. She stayed still until the crashing noises of the robots past and then breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Okay," Rose whispered to herself. "Alone on a strange alien ship. A dangerous alien ship that they know you're on. I've got my sword, translator and biodamper, but not sonic pen."

There were piled running down through the straight tunnel above her head and up ahead she could see a small loose bundle of cables. The problem was that she had no idea what did what without access to a terminal of some kind so sabotage was right now. With a soft sigh, Rose started the awkward crawl through the space, keeping her head done. She just needed to put some distance between her and Khandrin. And come up with a plan.

She crawled until her hands were turning red and her knees were aching. She stopped beside yet another one of the access panels and listened, but everything seemed quiet. Pushing open the panel door, Rose grunted when the door resisted for a moment. Then it swung up and she quickly looked out. The corridor was quiet and Rose carefully climbed out of the service tunnel.

Rose paused and frowned as she took in the different looking corridor. This one was much brighter and there were visible cameras hanging from the ceiling in orbs. Her fingers twitched and Rose took a careful step forward. There was no rush of robots or alarms so she hoped that the biodamper was still doing its work. Khandrin might have taken her bag with the sonic pen but at least he hadn't thought to check over her jewellery too closely.

She told herself to keep moving and started walking slowly, doing her best to keep her footfalls silent. Up ahead the corridor met at a three-way intersection with a large room straight ahead of Rose. Rose paused and watched for any movement. In the distance, she could just hear some robots moving over the constant hum of the ship and wondered just what Khandrin was doing about her escape. She'd heard no alarm or anything over an intercom system.

As she moved forward, Rose could see more of the large room. It seemed to be round with much brighter lights with small niches behind shimmering transparent walls. It was some sort of prison she realised as she stopped in the doorway. A robot stood completely still at a set of controls. In one of the cells, Princess Alenica looked up at her in surprise and then looked at the guard in alarm. Gesturing for her to be silent, Rose slipped around behind the guard. She walked very slowly, unsure if making noise would still attract its attention. Then she ran it through and slid the sword out through its side.

It fell to the floor with a shower of sparks with small noises escaping it. For good measure Rose swung her sword down on the head, once again feeling a rush of relief that Khandrin seemed to mostly use robots.

"Rose," Alenica breathed in relief, moving towards the clear wall separating them. "Thank goodness you're alright."

"They put you in nice accommodations than me," Rose chuckled with a slight smile as she eyed the controls at the edge of the cell. "I had to take Khandrin's company while hanging from chains."

"Oh Rose how barbaric, I am so sorry."

"Not your fault, now give me a minute to figure this out. Thankfully Khandrin didn't take my translator."

"If he wanted to talk with you then he'd know that you needed it," Alenica reminded her. "Why did he want to speak with you?"

Rose paused, uncertain if she wanted to answer that. It seemed like Khandrin had planned on invading regardless, but Rose couldn't' help the flutter of worry that maybe her relationship with the Doctor had made things worse for the Durmino Empire. She pressed the small button on the side of the controls and smiled when the translucent wall vanished.

"Rose?"

"Not now," Rose replied tightly, holding her hand out to Alenica. "Come on, we need to find a way out of here. Do you know what happened to the guards they sent with us?"

"Yes," Alenica nodded tightly. "They're dead."

Rose swallowed, guilt gnawing at her stomach again. She found herself selfishly hoping that Khandrin really had plans on the Durmino Empire before discovering her relationship with the Doctor. How he knew was a mystery to her, but she supposed someone noticing how often he was around Cambridge was inevitable. Alenica gave her a searching look, but say anything more. With only a quick glance down the corridors, they began to creep through the ship.

"There aren't any guards," Alasania whispered to her. "Why?"

"Not sure," Rose answered carefully. "But I escaped and nothing seems to have happened."

"I hope that doesn't mean he's begun a physical invasion," Alenica said with horror as they came upon an opening in the wall and Rose moved towards it.

Alenica caught her arm in a tight grip forcing her to stop moving and pointed into the nearest room. It was a simple small space with a worktable, but she could see in an instant what had caught Alencia's attention. Her black shoulder bag was open on the table with the contents spilt across the surface. Rose glanced around them once again fearing a trap, but the corridor was quiet except for the sounds of the sparking robots behind them.

Stepping into the room, Rose braced herself and jumped to the side in case anyone was hiding against the doorframe. The room was empty, but her sonic pen was in some sort of device that someone was clearly about to use on it. Thankfully they hadn't gotten that far. Rose reached over and carefully disengaged the clamp holding it and plucked it up, noting that it looked intact. The pen appearance of it had probably saved it from being noticed first. She took in the other items. Her wallet had been opened with notes scattered across the table and the back of her phone had been removed. As Rose scooped it up she groaned as she noticed the battery was gone as part of the interior was cracked.

"Bloody hell," Rose growled.

"What?"

"No calling for help," Rose muttered as she picked up her bag and slung it across her shoulder. She turned on the sonic pen and smiled as the familiar whirring sound filled the room. "At least they didn't break this."

"What now Star Knight?" Alenica asked as she picked up the nail file and handed it to Rose who as putting everything back in the bag.

"You're the Empress," Rose pointed out as she put the back on the phone and slipped it into the front pocket to deal with later. "What do you say?"

"Do some damage," Alenica hissed, fisting her hands and looking thunderous. "We're on their ship. Let's find a way to communicate with Durmino and see what we can do from here."

"I knew that I liked you," Rose chuckled with a wide smile. "Damage it is."

As it turned out Alenica was much more familiar with this sort of ship than Rose was. While she'd been running around what mostly felt like a rat maze, Alenica quickly used the controls set into the wall at the side of the room to bring up a map. Apparently rather than staircases or large obvious transport rooms each level had small circular teleport points that took a person on them to the next floor. Rose just stood back and guarded the door while Alenica plotted their route.

"I can't open communications with Durmino from here," Alenica announced with a huff of frustration. "We have to move to the higher levels," she said as she left the controls and began to sweep out the door past Rose.

"Wait," Rose hissed, catching the Princess' arm. "Here you should wear the biodamper. It shouldn't be difficult for them to locate you."

"You're human, it would be a simple matter to scan for you as well," Alenica pointed out calmly. "You keep it on Rose. It will allow you to sneak up and destroy anything that tries to trap me. I would not be capable of that."

"Alright," Rose agreed uneasily with a nod before stepping to the side and allowing Alenica to take the lead.

They followed the long red corridor to where it opened into a large dead end. At first glance, Rose didn't see anything, but then caught sight of a small set of controls on the wall. It was much smaller than the teleport they'd used to get to the ships in the first place. Pointing the sonic pen at the controls, Rose grabbed Alencia's hand and kept a tight hold of the Princess. A ring descended from the ceiling created a soft blue field around them. Then Rose felt the tingle of energy over her skin and a tug on her gut.

A new room formed around with three robots all pointing large weapons at Alenica. As a cry of alarm escaped the Princess, Rose dropped her hand and launched herself forward. The first robot didn't have time to react to her as Rose swung around his side and brought the sword down into its arm, slicing through it and causing the weapon to drop. The robot reeled back in surprise giving Rose access to the next one as it began to turn. She repeated the process of slicing off its arm and then slashed into the chest for good measure.

The sword caught in the twisting metal and Rose had to recall it as she dropped to avoid a wild shot from the last of the robots. It couldn't see her but knew there was a threat. Alenica shouted an unnecessary warning and Rose crawled forward as she summoned her sword once more. She cut off one of the legs and allowed the robots to fall into the wall before bringing the sword slashing up to remove the arms. Sparks were showering around her and the robots were trying to say something as Rose drove the sword into their heads one at a time to silence them and hopefully keep them from relying more information.

When the room fell silent, Alenica stepped forward and scooped up one of the heavy looking firearms. To Rose's surprise, she easily adjusted it in her two hands and rested it snugly on her hip. Alenica looked towards Rose expectantly.

"No thanks," Rose murmured. "Not really a gun person."

"I suppose you wouldn't be able to use your sword as efficiently," Alenica conceded. "Let's keep moving."

They didn't have to go far to the new level before they found a large window looking out into space. Looking out the window they both froze. Below them, they could see numerous ships holding around the planet and three large different style ships holding in a position against them. The battle hadn't started yet, but Alencia's warning about the dangers of Khandrin's ship being destroyed echoed in her head. That bad feeling returned and Rose was left wondering what they could possibly do.


	29. Durmino Empire: Uncertainty

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Durmino Empire: Uncertainty

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

It wasn't often that Rose wanted to call the Doctor to her rescue. She wasn't truly sure if that was a point of personal pride or a character flaw, but right now she was silently cursing the broken phone. Pulling it out, she inspected it once again, wondering if the sonic pen would be able to fix the crack, but even parts of the internal components were damaged. While the sonic screwdriver probably could have done the job the sonic pen lacked the same versatility. Fixing it and calling the Doctor was out. All she could do on that front was hope that he knew the situation and was supposed to come for time lines. If not then she'd discover that the hard way.

"Okay," Rose breathed as she leaned against the wall. "If Khandrin's ships are destroyed in orbit there will be fallout on the planet below, correct?"

"Exactly," Alenica murmured, worrying her bottom lip. "On the other hand, our forces can't just let him bombard the planet."

"Yeah, so ideally we'd want to get the ships away from the planet," Rose remarked and Alenica made a small defeated nod. "That way they cannot be destroyed in the battle."

"That doesn't seem possible. There is a dozen of them."

"But we're on the flagship if it moves then the others may follow," Rose pondered, toying with the sonic pen. "If most of the crew really are robots then they may be programmed that way."

"And if they aren't?"

"I don't know," Rose sighed, leaning her head back against the wall. "I'm just thinking out loud."

"But you're current thought is to take over the bridge," Alenica reminded her. "That's a bit… insane Rose."

"We can't do any good down on the planet," Rose countered rubbing the edge of her forehead. "Up here at least we can keep picking off the robots and maybe come up with something. The issue is that we are dealing with multiple ships. If we weren't then maybe just disabling the ship would be enough, but there's too many."

"Is there anyone who can help us?" Alenica questioned urgently. "Anyone, you can contact?"

"I'm from Earth remember?" Rose told her, giving the Princess a curious look. "And you already alerted the Shadow Proclamation and your allies. Do you think the Orthans can help?"

"No news from them yet," Alenica answered, lowering her eyes. "They are often very busy trying to keep the peace for less developed planets."

"Ah the Prime Directive," Rose muttered. "We should keep moving, I don't like lingering." She paused and looked around. "This has been too easy thus far as it is."

"Too easy?" Alenica asked with surprise. "If you think this has been easy I would dread to see what you consider difficult."

"A lot more guards and people trying to catch me for one," Rose answered tightly. Part of her wishing that she could repair her phone and use it to contact the Doctor and the other part just wanting to be sure that he stayed far away from this. "Something isn't right."

"Perhaps Khandrin believes you can't do anything while trapped on the ship," Alenica suggested quickly. "We do seem to be trapped after all and he may not consider you a threat."

"No that's not it," Rose replied softly, moving down the corridor and attempting to get her bearings. "He's too smart for that. A person doesn't gain control of this large a force in ships and robots and keep it as an idiot."

"He's distracted then," Alenica offered. "He is trying to invade my planet. Perhaps the generals thought of something clever and have managed to distract him for us."

"Perhaps," Rose agreed softly. That was a possible explanation certainly and one that would fit with the current situation. It would be silly to amuse that all the Durmino forces on the planet would be calmly waiting. No, they had to be trying everything they could. "That does make sense."

Still, as they started making their way to the next teleport point so they could keep moving towards the bridge, Rose had the nagging sense that she was missing something. She glanced towards Alenica only to find a completely serene expression on the other woman's face. There was something, she just couldn't put her finger on it.

They found the teleport quick enough; Alenica seemed to have developed a sense of direction in the bleak halls that eluded Rose. With the sonic pen, Rose was able to active them easily as a distance and moments later they were in a similar, but larger hallway. There was barely any warning before a thunderous sound erupted down the corridor as robots rushed towards them. Rose glanced around and a few feet ahead were more of the small access areas.

Pushing Alenica out of the way, Rose ducked into one of the small side holes while the Princess crouched in another. Laser blasts burst past them as the team of robots advanced. They did not stop firing even though they had no targets and Rose was reminded strongly of Stormtroopers. She remained still as the noise around her increased. While they may not be truly attacking her or Alenica they were pinned down. Then the robots stopped moving and stopped shooting.

"Princess Alenica," the deep voice of Khandrin called out making Rose look around with no sign of the warlord "This is foolish. What do you think you will achieve?"

Alenica said nothing but instead looked up towards the ceiling. Rose glanced up, but nothing stood out to her there. She was debating what to do with an odd series of scratches on the wall opposite her caught her attention. It took her a moment to decode the writing:

Bad Wolf

Breathing out, Rose nodded a little and tightened her grip on her sword. Alencia's eyes widened and she looked ready to protest, but Rose swung out of the small niche and swung her sword at the nearest robot. It tumbled back in a wash of sparks. Rose ignored the sting of them landing on her arms and slashed at the next one. The third was turning its weapon towards her and she dropped low to slice the legs out from under it.

"Robots," Rose laughed. "Easy."

Alenica gave her a weak nod but came out of the small access area. She gripped Rose's hand very tightly as they kept going. Rose kept her eyes open for guards, but the corridors were largely deserted. Khandrin clearly knew where they were, he'd finally spoken over the communication system and yet there was nothing between them and the bridge. The double doors came into sight and a pair of robots stood next to them at attention. They did not respond to Rose, but as Alenica stepped into view they both instantly turned.

"My horse for another biodamper," Rose grumbled as she dashed ahead of Alenica.

She sliced off the legs of yet another robot while debating the merits of going for the legs versus the head while again celebrating that she didn't have to be concerned with the loss of life. This whole situation was strange enough as it was. Alenica dodged around in the corridor to distracted the remaining robots. Its weapon was training on her before Rose put her sword through the back of the robot.

"Ready?" Rose questioned Alenica as the robot crashed to the ground.

The Princess looked flushed but nodded as her face calmed into a serene expression. Rose licked her lips and wondered again if this was the wisest course of action. Storming the bridge seemed like a bad idea, but then again it was probably what the Doctor would do if he was present. With that in mind, she pointed the sonic pen at the panel beside the doors and watched as they slid open. Braced for another attack or Khandrin to appear, Rose was once more surprised.

The bridge was very different from the rest of the ship which Rose was convinced was a combination of different ships. Rather than the strange elegance of the ballroom or the confined windowless space of the corridors, the bridge was round in shape and rather dark with rows of computers. Several were manned by robots, but here there were five actual living creatures who all turned towards the door as it opened.

There was a moment of stillness and then chaos seemed to erupt. If Khandrin had allowed her to get this far then he had not filled the crew in on the plan. Leaping forward, Rose lashed her fist forward into the neck of the nearest alien that was similar in physical form to Perijacks. It released a cry of pain and crumbled to the floor, with wide dazed eyes. Reassured that they weren't too fragile, Rose ducked the attack of another one as it began to pull a firearm. She grabbed the weapon and twisted its arm, forcing it to drop the weapon with a cry of pain.

The robots on the bridge were looking about in confusion as the actual crew members shouted to them. Rose grabbed another one and put it in a choke hold, kicking with her right leg at the another was trying to rush her. As she dropped her current target as it stopped struggling the robots advanced on her, drawn by what must have been the strange sight of a crewmember in midair. Still, Rose reflected as she dodged out of the way and struck down another robot. This was going very very well.

…

"This was too easy," Rose muttered as she eyed the pile of robot parts and the row of tied unconscious aliens. "What is Khandrin playing at?"

"You are a Star Knight," Alenica pointed out, drawing Rose's attention back to where the Princess was standing with a slightly uneasy expression, toying with her hands.

"That really doesn't mean as much as you think," Rose told her with a sigh. "Okay navigation, any thoughts?"

"Here," Alenica answered as she nodded eagerly and pointed towards one of the control stations. "Navigation is usually positioned right about…" She trailed off for a moment as she dashed around the controls. "Here it is!"

Rose followed her over. It looked very familiar with many science fiction shows except the screen had a 3-D effect that showed the position of the ship and other nearby objects. Looking at the screen, Rose welcomed the uncomfortable itch at the back of her mind as knowledge from another life tried to poke through. She understood very little of what she'd seen in the nightmares and in her dreams, but the sight of a dark engine room and a rush to make repairs flashed through her head. Rose adjusted the controls and the screen before she changed. She wouldn't be able to get them far, but maybe a gas planet. Radioactive and far enough away to limit the damage to the people on the surface.

"What are the other planets in the system like?" Rose questioned. "Is there a safe one to go to?"

"The sixth planet is a gas giant," Alenica answered quickly, reaching across Rose for a moment to press a few buttons. "Nothing to harm there."

"Okay, then that's where we go."

The controls were actually very simple, so simple that Rose almost laughed. There were no fancy joysticks, but instead a much simpler point and tap screen to indicate the desired position. It made sense, she supposed when you really thought about it. Even a ship built for war of this size would have limited manoeuvring ability. She made the change and felt the ship shudder beneath her feet for a moment as the engines deep below roared back to life and began to feed the thrusters with more power.

"I'm impressed," Alenica observed next to her, leaning forward and looking at her curiously. "I wasn't sure you'd know how to fly."

"I really don't," Rose admitted with a nervous smile. "But this is simple enough." She paused and looked at another screen that showed the location of the others ships. "The question is will they follow us. Maybe we could send a message…. Something automatic…" she suggested thoughtfully as she began to move amongst the rows of controls. "I wish I knew what I was looking for." Shaking her head, Rose pulled on the sonic pen.

"What are you doing?"

"Seeing if I can lock the controls," Rose murmured as she adjusted the settings. "It won't last long. I can't deadlock seal them, but I can buy us maybe an hour that Khandrin can't turn things around."

"Do you really think that this will work? That the other ships will follow?"

"I haven't a clue," Rose answered honestly. "But I have no other ideas at the moment. If the flagship withdraws then the others may hesitate when your other ships arrive. And the Shadow Proclamation has been alerted. We need to stall."

Alenica shifted nervously and Rose did not blame her at all. For a moment there was nothing expect the thrum of the sonic pen as Rose bypassed the basic security system. With a few presses of the buttons, Rose entered a new password: Bad Wolf and hoped it would keep them out long enough.

Suddenly around them, a blaring sound erupted along with flashing mauve lights. Rose rolled her eyes as a soft squeak escaped Alenica.

"And now the alarms go off." She smiled a little, "Maybe Khandrin is finally getting tired of his game."

"What does he want, Rose?" Alenica questioned as Rose grabbed her hand and began tugging her towards the door as the unconscious aliens began to stir. "Truly?"

"Your empire," Rose told here before sighing in defeat. "And the Doctor."

"The Doctor?"

"The man who stopped him before. Apparently, he decided that your world and this invasion would serve as bait to draw him out." Rose paused as the bridge doors opened before them. "I am so sorry Alenica."

Down the corridor, Rose could hear the loud pounding of the mechanical feet marching towards them. It was far louder than before and her breath caught in her throat. Her sense of danger jumped and Rose was certain that this had gone from too easy to something very different. Tightening her grasp on Alenica's hand, she pulled her away from the bridge doors.

"Run!"

The corridor branched into multiple passageways before the bridge and directly beyond it. Without any idea where they were going, Rose chose passage after passage, but the marching echoed after them without fail.

"They're following me," Alenica gasped in alarm. "Rose you need to go on without me."

Rose ignored her, stopping only for a moment when they came to another junction. It all very much looked the same to her. The robots were marching closer and closer and now Rose thought she heard a second group. Alencia's theory about them being on the planet was being quickly disproven.

"The teleport is this way," Alenica called to her, pulling Rose away from the advancing forces.

Rose dared a glance back as they rushed down the corridor. There were dozens of robots now, packed into the corridor and marching as one. Their weapons were drawn, but they were not currently firing after them. But then as they rushed around another curve in the corridor, Rose and Alenica found themselves facing four more robots standing guard. Pulling out the sonic pen with her left hand, Rose aimed it at the panel behind the robot guards. Alenica gasped softly as the robots began to close in around them. She caught Rose's arm for a moment, squeezing it only a tiny fraction before she shoved her into the teleport beam.

"Stop Khandrin!" Alenica shouted as the teleport energy surrounded Rose and whisked her away.


	30. Durmino Empire: Success and Failure

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty: Durmino Empire: Success and Failure

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose hit the side of the wall as the teleport stopped, her legs half collapsing underneath her. Blinking, she quickly righted herself and looked around frantically in the hope that Alenica was still with her. She was alone. There were no robots bearing down on her, no sounds of crewmembers running away and certainly no Princess Alenica. Anger, frustration and a sense of despair rose up in her chest and for a moment Rose couldn't breathe.

She leaned against the wall, trying to calm down and make sense of everything. They'd gotten the flagship to move, but Rose wasn't certain how many would follow it away from the planet. She could hope that they were evacuating the cities on Durmino and making use of the delay, but what was she going to do now. It was doubtful that they would take Alenica back to the same cell block that Rose had released her from. Anywhere they took it her now was certain to be a trap.

After an uncertain amount of time, Rose forced herself to move down the new corridor. It was like all the others, but she noticed a bright doorway up ahead. The hum of the ship seemed louder and she optimistically wondered if she was near the engines. Peeking into the room, Rose could see a robot standing in front of a series of controls. Beyond the controls were large machines that were humming and pipes filling the upper layer of the room. Rose eyed the machines thoughtfully. They looked too small to be engines, but this was a control room of some kind. She glanced around the corridor one more time to be safe and crept into the room.

Slashing into the robot, Rose watched it hit the ground and drove her sword through the head to make sure it wasn't getting up. She stepped around the pile of metal and leaned over the controls, taking them in with a critical eye. There were numerous buttons, but the core of the system was based around three large screens set at a slight angle. Rose could see navigation information on the middle one along with orders from the bridge to return to the planet. Licking her lips, Rose checked their current position. The ship was in orbit around the gas giant. She smiled, three of the larger ships had indeed followed them.

"At least that worked," Rose muttered. "Alenica I hope your people are using the time we bought."

Rose exhaled and leaned over the controls, bracing her arms on either side of her head as she tried to think of what to do next. What was the point of all this? Khandrin's actions seemed random and a bit silly. Maybe her having a biodamper and being able to hide from sensors and robots had messed things up but was there really nothing more to his plan. Rose tugged on the end of her ponytail in frustration as she paced in the tiny room. She needed a plan, something clever and inspired, but that was more the Doctor's department. Rose pulled the damaged superphone out again and inspected the crack that ran through the microprocessor.

"Bugger," she grumbled. She'd definitely need a new phone. This is why large lumbering robots shouldn't handle small electronic devices. "Come on Rose, think!" She started pacing again, still holding the phone in her hand. "Maybe if I hook it into a communication system… the memory isn't damaged… no, the software interface would be all wrong and there isn't time."

Great, she was talking to herself.

"This might just be why he likes having companions," Rose chuckled to herself as she slipped the phone away. "That way he can think out loud and not be taking to himself."

It certainly sounded a bit like the Doctor. The thought made her smile a bit and she felt her tight shoulders relaxing a tiny bit.

"Star Knight Rose Tyler," Khandrin's voice called out to her, echoing through the room. "I know you can hear me though my sensors cannot lock onto you."

Rose looked around but didn't see any oblivious intercoms. It didn't matter as Khandrin kept talking, "I have the Princess Alenica and while you have delayed my plans you have not stopped them." There was a long pause, then a deep chuckle. "Your princess has great faith in you Star Knight. Come and face me. Come and rescue her. I will even guide your way."

"What is this a video game?" Rose demanded, glaring up at the ceiling. But she wasn't sure if he could hear her at all.

Everything went still and Rose could hear only the hum of the ship's engines and the soft beeps of the nearby machines. Licking her lips, she looked back at the control screen and noted that the ships were still around the gas giant. Her lock had worked for the time being. Rose stretched her fingers uneasily and felt her weight of her bracelet acutely as she tried to figure out if there were other options. It might be worth it to try and find the engine room and do some real damage, but Khandrin had Alenica.

"Fine then," Rose half sighed, half growled as she moved towards the door. "It's your game Khandrin."

Stepping out into the corridor, Rose saw that indeed the low lights were flickering in a pattern. They would go out and come back up, forming a line moving to the right. It made the corridor eerie and gave her a sense of dread. Following the lights, Rose found herself moving to another teleport pad. The controls next to it were flashing. Rose paused, wondering how much faith she had that Khandrin really wanted to face her and wouldn't just teleport her out into space.

But there had been a Bad Wolf message, Rose reminded herself. She was probably safe. The Doctor would have arrived by now if she wouldn't be. He might already be down on Durmino helping from that side of things. With that little comforting thought, Rose raised the sonic pen and activated the teleport, letting it take her to whatever floor Khandrin was on.

As the corridor appeared around her and the energy drifted away, Rose released a soft sigh of relief. She hadn't been as confident as she'd wanted to be. This corridor was silent, still and very familiar. Walking ahead, she summoned her sword and kept it at the ready. Every time one of the small maintenance areas came up, she stopped and checked them for an ambush, but there was nothing. Rose realised as she caught sight of a pile of destroyed robot that she was retracing her steps. That only confused her more. Was Khandrin really back in that strange ornate room just waiting for her?

"Crazy as Thane," Rose muttered, though she really hoped he wasn't. She couldn't deal with another Thane.

She kept walking and the layout changed around her with the large double doors of the first room she'd escaped from looming before her. Rose stopped and listened, straining her ears for any noise that didn't belong, but there wasn't any. A soft sigh escaped her and she straightened her shoulders and moved ahead.

Khandrin was waiting, standing in the middle of the room before the doorway. A large heavy looking sword was in his hand and his armour was gleaming in the low light coming from the chandelier. Beyond him, through the windows, Rose could see the churning blue and white clouds of the gas giant.

"This is cosy," Rose observed as she stepped into the room, trying to look calm and unconcerned. At the far side of the room, Alenica was hanging in chains similar to the ones Rose herself had been bound in. Her feet were perched on the small stool and she was standing on her toes with a frightened look on her face. "Though your treatment of royalty leaves a lot to be desired."

"Where is the Doctor?" Khandrin huffed at her, looking back towards the door as if he expected him to waltz inside. "Where is he?"

"Not here as far as I know," Rose countered with a growing smirk.

"He must be!" Khandrin roared, swinging the blade towards her. "I captured you, but he did not come. You escaped but remained trapped on my ship but he did not come."

"Your robots sort of destroyed my phone," Rose informed him with a raised eyebrow. "Contrary to popular belief he really isn't all knowing." She paused and shook her head. "You never really wanted Durmino did you? Not them specifically, you just wanted more planets and ships. The deciding factor on going after them was me. Because you hoped I could bring you the Doctor."

"You are more impressive than I gave you credit for," Khandrin remarked. "Withdrawing the fleet just enough to protect the planet rather than simply calling on your lover was unexpected."

Rose decided to stay silent on that matter. It was difficult enough to keep her temper as it was. She was the daughter of Jackie Tyler, but every instinct was reminding her that she was in the presence and still rather at the mercy of a dangerous Warlord.

"What do you think of this chamber?" Khandrin asked her very calmly with a deep chuckle as he eyed her carefully. He gestured around at the grand room and Rose's footfalls echoed on the tile as she approached.

She eyed the sword that was in his hand, mindful to keep out of its reach. If it came to a sword fight like Khandrin seemed to be preparing for then it would be an issue of her moving in fast and then retreating to stay away from that thing.

"It is lovely," Rose agreed carefully, allowing herself a quick glance around. "But it doesn't seem to go with the rest of the ship."

"Indeed not. This was the grand ballroom at the palace of the asteroid Verzila in the Gersitic system. I admired it and had it moved into my ship. It makes for an impressive observation point."

"And what happened to the rest of the palace?" Rose questioned. "Or should I be afraid of the answer?"

"The greater question is what are you stalling for?" Khandrin asked as he began to move around the room, tilting his head in consideration.

"I'm trying to understand you," Rose answered as she slowly circled the large ballroom-like room, watching her opponent. "You've gone to a lot of work to get me here," she reminded him as she risked a glance over towards Alenica. "You gave me all but free run of your ship. Surely the robots aren't that cheap."

"I've been planning to upgrade. You scrapping them all saved me some time," Khandrin offered with a sarcastic smirk. "It also offered me a chance to observe you. Though that biodamper you were wearing did interfere quite a bit on that front. You must have noticed that I don't rely on a living crew."

"I did notice. It says something about you that you can't trust the loyalty of your own crew."

"Trust is for the weak," Khandrin snapped, tilting his large head to regard Rose. "Your loyalty has, after all, brought you here. I will not merely restrain you this time, Star Knight. No, I am going to torture you until HE arrives."

"You must have been so disappointed when I was chained up and a blue box didn't just appear two feet away?" Rose replied in an icy voice she fought to suppress her feelings and stay calm.

"You must be disappointed in the loyalty of your lover," Khandrin retorted mockingly. "I was expecting so much more from the great Star Knight and lover of the Doctor. All you have managed to do is move my ships. In less than an hour, I will be back around the planet. This is a delay, nothing more."

"Khandrin," Rose replied as calmly as she could manage as she stopped circling him. "I normally try to avoid letting things become personal Khandrin. I prefer to stay rational during a crisis, but you've done everything you could to make this personal."

"All the better to bring the Doctor here."

"He doesn't know that I'm even here," Rose snapped her calm beginning to slip away from her. "I'm not travelling with him or living with him now. I didn't have a chance to contact him because you knocked me out so fast and then damaged my communication device! He doesn't know I'm here. This has all been a waste if he's what you were truly after!"

"No, my information is precise," Khandrin insisted. "You are the woman he loves and if you're in danger he will come for you."

"Well you've yet to truly put me in danger," Rose countered, baring her teeth. "You've just been an annoyance to me. The ones you've hurt have been the Durminos!"

"An annoyance," Khandrin repeated with widening eyes, showing the first sign of true anger in this encounter.

"Indeed, I've not been injured have I? Rose countered with a smalls smirk, watching for any sign of action on the part of Khandrin. Her fingers itched and she waited for him to attack, to make his move. Maybe just maybe if she defeated him then she could hold the fleet up until the reinforcements arrived. "You're nothing special in my history. Just another blip on my radar. I'll deal with you and go home. I may not even tell the Doctor about all this."

"Not even tell-" Khandrin started to growl only to stop a moment later. He huffed, but then seemed to calm himself and a loud chuckle echoed through the room. "I see Star Knight. I see. Not terribly clever, but rather effective. I don't lose control. I'm too good a warrior for that."

"From what I've seen of your strategy your 'warrior' skills are pretty much hype. You use your dirty warships as threats to keep the defenders from attacking. Not really a clever strategy and someday someone is going to catch you away from a planet."

"Three of my ships are still in orbit around Durmino," Khandrin remarked. "So that isn't going to be today."

"Except would those ships keep fighting if you were dead?" Rose questioned, raising an eyebrow in challenge. "Or a prisoner of the Shadow Proclamation. What's the programming then?"

Khandrin's eyes narrowed and a rush of hope burst through Rose. She fought back a smile as his fingers twitched around the hilt of his sword. Maybe just maybe they'd managed the smart thing after all.

"I'm going to kill you," Khandrin suddenly announced, cutting into Rose's growing sense of relief. "Then I'll skin your princess. I don't need Durmino. I will raze the planet. I will set one of the robotic ships on a collision course into the planet. I will leave your corpse floating over a dead world as a reminder to the Doctor to never interfere with me again.

Glaring at Khandrin, it was all Rose could do to keep herself from spitting at him. The sword in her hand felt like it was vibrating from her rage. Khandrin's eyes were wide and bright with rage. Rose braced herself just before a battle cry escaped the alien and he lunged towards her with his sword swinging down towards her. Rolling to the right, Rose shifted her weight and began to stand back up just as a loud ring echoed through the room. The sword had crashed into the ground, leaving stone dust around the edge and a crack in the floor. Bringing up her own sword, Rose exhaled slowly.

"If that's how we're going to do this…. Fine."


	31. Durmino Empire: Misplaced

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty-One: Durmino Empire: Misplaced

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Khandrin didn't wait. He leapt through the air, swinging the massive sword at her once again. Rose gasped and jumped out of the way, slashing her own sword at him as she rolled. The blade sliced into his armour with a sharp metallic sound, but he wasn't affected. Instead, he smirked at Rose and began to twist around to attack again. There was a cold rush of fear that blasted through Rose as her vision narrowed on Khandrin. She dodged away from another blow, dancing on the balls of her feet as the sound of her own heartbeat echoed in her ears.

Alenica was shouting something behind her, but Rose couldn't quite understand and lashed forward with the sword. She swung low, smashing it against the armour covering the back of Khandrin's leg. The metal bent beneath the force and strength of the blade. He staggered and Rose hesitated for only a moment before pragmatism won out. Dropping down, she swung her blade towards the ankle joint of his boot. The plastic crunched and stood up against the blow for only a moment before cracking. Then Rose shifted the angle of the sword and drove it forward. A high pitched pained scream filled the room and Khandrin pulled back sharply. The blade caught and was pulled from Rose's hand, beginning to transform into its bracelet form a split second later.

The hobbled Khandrin moved back from her, dark blue blood spilling out from his boot which was still mostly intact. Rose felt her bracelet reform on her wrist and summoned the sword once more. He began to bring his own sword up to defend himself, but Rose focused on the joint of his gauntlet and slammed her sword against the weak point. The armour gave way and pieces of the twisted metal carved into Khandrin's skin. Leaping back, Rose put some distance between her and Khandrin, waiting for the next move.

He half jumped, half fell forward giving Rose plenty of time to side step him. Raising her arm above her head, Rose then brought the hilt of her sword down hard on the back of his head as he started to crash to the ground. He went down with an almost deafening thump and Rose felt the air rush from her lungs. The world began to expand and she could hear Alenica saying something, but the words didn't process. Rose watched Khandrin's form, half knowing that she should attack again, but unable to move. Then he began to move and a deep ragged breath escaped him. Rose drew back a little further, licking her lips nervously. Her body was aching. She hadn't been hit, but the tension of the day teamed with dodging frantically had taken a toll.

Khandrin struggled to stand and Rose shifted carefully nearby. The large room was silent save her own heavy breathing and Khandrin's grunts of pain. She waited for him to say something dramatic and threatening, but the warlord didn't speak. His eyes turned to her and he began to move again, taking a few steps before crumbling with a groan. Rose breathed out but kept her distance.

"It's over Khandrin," she finally forced out as the rush of adrenaline began to ease and she could think again. "Just stay still and wait for medical attention."

"Where is the Doctor?" Khandrin asked, his voice tinged with desperation that made Rose's stomach turn.

"Not here, for the last time he's not here and he's not coming," Rose told him with a frantic note in her voice. "Call off your ships."

Khandrin shifted again, but then a long groan escaped him and he collapsed back on the floor. A moan of pain behind her pulled Rose's attention to Alenica. Carefully, Rose gave one more glance towards Khandrin and moved over to Alenica. The Princess was grinning at her through a pained grimace. Rose jumped up and cut the chains, barely making it high enough. Alenica half collapsed on top of her and Rose carefully shifted her own centre of gravity to help her down.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Alenica breathed with a grateful nod. "Just…"

"I know," Rose murmured. "I'm ready for this to be over."

A beam of blue light appeared in the centre of the room. On impulse, Rose shifted in front of Alencia and brought her sword up again. The beam widened and then dimmed, leaving an unfamiliar figure flanked by two Judoon. Rose's eyes jumped to the Judoon who shifted and pointed their weapons at Khandrin leaving the third figure looking at her. It was a female humanoid with white hair, pale skin and red eyes who was looking at Alenica with interest.

"Your Majesty," the figure greeted as Alenica came out from around Rose. "Under Article 3 the entry of Khandrin into your star system has been registered as an invasion by members of your planetary fleet. Is this ruling correct?" she questioned in a very calm no nonsense way.

"The classification is correct," Alenica replied, straightening up confidently, though Rose caught a slight grimace of pain.

"Very well. Three Durminio ships have taken position around your planet," the official informed them calmly, looking down at the tablet device in their hand. "Khandrin's other ships have surrendered due to their leader's defeat and the smaller ships around the planet have been pulled away via gravity beam."

Rose blinked at the string of announcements feeling a little underwhelmed. Was that really it? Then again, she reminded herself with a glance towards Khandrin, most of the crew were robots who were programmed to follow Khandrin. With him out of the way, the biological crew may have just decided it wasn't worth it. Strange, but then again this wasn't her culture or planet.

"Rose!" Alenica cheered as she wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. "You did it! How clever!"

"Uh yeah that was a happy accident," Rose admitted softly, feeling a blush working its way up her cheeks. "I didn't know that Shadow Proclamation ships could do that." She paused and felt a flare of worry. "Uh, are the Judoon here?"

"We have a full crew of Judoon troops onboard yes," the Shadow Proclamation official told her with a confused tilt of its head. "Is that a problem?"

"No… I suppose not," Rose answered with a grimace. "Uh, what else do you need from us?"

"Will you be pressing charges Your Majesty?" the official asked Alenica who glared at the prone Khandrin and nodded.

"I most certainly will. No part of this invasion was legal and I will see him punished."

Rose smiled as she watched the Judoon pull out glowing huge metal cuffs and slap them on Khandrin's wrists behind his back. One of them pulled out some device and held it to his side, but then he vanished with one of the Judoon in a flash of blue. Rose almost jumped when the nervous Alencia grabbed her hand and Rose looked over at the Princess and smiled. Nervous or not, Alencia was speaking confidently to the Shadow Proclamation official and Rose allowed herself to relax. She almost laughed as she realised that this was the part when the Doctor usually slipped away. Sadly she needed a ride home.

….

Music rose up around her, echoing in the hastily decorated grand hall. Golden banners were hanging from the domed ceiling and Rose fought to stay still as she waited at the end of a long causeway. Before her were rows and rows of people crowded around a wide aisle. Behind her was a large stone and metal throne that she really wanted to turn and take another look at.

The voices quieted, allowing the music to take centre stage and Rose exhaled slowly and fought down the urge to itch her neck. Alenica had provided her with a white and gold uniform that looked great but had a very itchy high collar. Add to that, the need to stand here and wait and Rose was filling the pressure of the thousands of people watching her. Why had she agreed to stay and do this? She could have gone home last night after the Shadow Proclamation and Durmino ships started hauling away Khandrin's old hazard ships, but no Alenica had asked her to stay one more day and help with the coronation and like a fool, she'd agreed.

She had to give them credit, apparently, the Durminos could throw a coronation together quickly and with relative ease even after an invasion. Then again, she had no idea if this was a simple affair compared to how Alencia's father had been crowned. Risking a quick glance to the side, Rose confirmed that the pedestal holding the heavy looking golden crown she was to crown Alenica with was still there. Of course, Alencia's view of 'help' with the coronation was a bit more than Rose had been expecting.

Something like trumpets, but with a sweeter sound bellowed at the far side of the grand hall and Rose looked forward to find Alenica walking forward. She was dressed all in white and gold with a long flowing blue cape behind her. Those standing around the aisle bowed deeply and Rose fought back the urge to shift uncomfortably. Swallowing, she stayed still until Alenica reached her and knelt down. Rose turned and picked up the crown, listening as one of the high priests of the planet began a ceremonial speech.

Then it was her turn, Rose licked her dry lips and fought against her dry mouth. "Will you Alenica of the House of Fariding keep the laws of Durmino with justice and temperance?" Rose asked, straining to remember the lines and praying she got it all right.

"I swear it on my name, on the name of my house and my hopes for the future," Alenica intoned, drawing a loud cry of support from those in the hall.

Rose lowered the crown onto Alencia's head, not daring to breathe. It settled on the small circlet that Alenica was wearing, keeping it secure as it clicked into place. Releasing a breath, Rose smiled and stepped back.

"I the Star Knight Rose Tyler witness your oath and find you worthy."

The crowd released a deafening roar as Alencia stood and turned to those assembled. Next to her, the high priest said something more, but Rose did not hear him and instead looked up to watch the sunlight streaming into the hall through the grand windows.

…..

Her feet ached. The boots looked great but had more of a heel that Rose was used to. Standing for hours on stone was rough. They'd stayed in the grand hall as Alenica received all the representatives of the Empire and had only just arrived back in the palace. Yet Rose could still hear the cheering outside and inwardly chuckled. Not only did Durmino have high heels, apparently they had a grand balcony at the palace for the monarch to use to be seen by their subjects.

"Rose?" Alenica called softly. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Rose assured her with a forced smile. "Just… I think it's time I was getting home. I've been gone days now and people are going to worry."

"Of course," Alenica answered with only a hint of disappointment. "I'll have a ship take you home. I'm sorry but I can't accompany you-"

"You have duties here," Rose finished with an understanding nod. "I get it. Thank you."

"Thank you for staying to do my coronation," Alenica told her gratefully. "My people have taken it as a sign that the best is yet to come."

"You're welcome," Rose replied softly, aware of the roar of the crowd outside. "You'd better go out there Your Majesty, your people are waiting."

Alenica nodded and beamed at Rose. Then she stepped forward and threw her arms around Rose, giving her a warm hug. A soft chuckle of surprise escaped Rose, but she brought her arms up to return the friendly embrace.

"Take care Star Knight Rose Tyler,"Alenica breathed. "The flower with thorns."

"You as well, Empress Alenica of Durmino," Rose answered, straining her memory. "Light of the future."

The beaming smile Alenica gave her as they let go told Rose that she'd gotten it right. The new Empress nodded to her, took a deep breath and headed for the doors leading outside. As they opened a deafening wave of noise rolled over Rose and she smiled. Warm air blew in and Rose inhaled the sweet smell of the planet. She'd have to get the Doctor to bring her here someday, if for no other reason than to enjoy visiting a world where the royalty liked her.

Rose turned and headed down the elegant stone corridor, using the small landmarks of statues to find her way back to the room she'd been given. There were guards in fancy dress uniform with swords at their sides scattered throughout the palace and all nodded deeply to her as she passed. Finally, Rose found the heavy door to her room and sighed in relief. Rose paused as she stepped into her room, her hand halfway up to release her bun. There on the centre of her bed was a shiny new mobile phone. Glancing around the room, Rose waited for a man with wild brown hair or one with flyaway hair and bright green eyes to step out, but the room was quiet. She wasn't sure if she was grateful for that or not. She missed him, but his sudden departure from Utah was still stinging.

There was a small sticky note attached to the back of the phone that read: model from a little bit into your future and already programmed with your contacts. At the bottom was the familiar pattern of clockwork swirls that Rose knew spelt out the Doctor's real name. Her irritation faded and she smiled, kissing the note softly and looking down at her new phone.

"Star Knight," one of the guards behind her called. "The ship to take you home is ready to depart."

"Thank you," Rose murmured, moving over to grab her shoulder bag and the duffle bag holding her normal clothes. She paused and looked around the elegant room, a bit sad she hadn't really enjoyed it last night thanks to exhaustion. "I'm ready to go."

…..

The world reformed around Rose leaving her a touch dizzy as the energy on her skin faded. Blinking she looked around, expecting to see the Cambridge library that she'd been taken from or maybe a street nearby her home. Instead, she found herself in a dark unfamiliar alley. Rose glanced around, straightening up in mild alarm and quickly walked towards the lights of a street she could see. Calmly, Rose moved out into the street and relaxed as she found numerous people moving around the small street. There were several shops and restaurants around her and music filling the air.

The Eiffel Tower illuminated with soft white lights dominated the skyline in front of her and for a moment Rose just stared at it in shock. Then a laugh escaped her and she barely contained the wild laughter that would have drawn attention to her.

"Oh god," she breathed as she struggled to stop laughing. "Missed England by a bit."

Pulling out her new phone, Rose grinned as she found the direct number to Benton at UNIT and pressed the call button. It only took a moment for a familiar voice to answer.

"Benton."

"Hello Benton," Rose greeted, feeling a surge of relief. "It's Rose. I need a favour: I'm in Paris without my passport. Any chance that UNIT can help me out."

"Paris?" Benton repeated. "Did the Doctor drop you off there after the moon?"

"Uh… the moon?" Rose questioned. "What are you talking about?"

"Royal Hope Hospital," Benton told her, sounding just as confused as she felt. "Was taken to the moon today, you and the Doctor helped bring it back. Ringing any bells."

"Wasn't me," Rose assured him.

"But you called me to explain," Benton argued.

"Oh did I?" Rose blinked in understanding. "Then it hasn't happened to me yet, must be in my personal future."

"Then where were you?" Benton questioned. "Were there two of you running around on Earth? I thought that was dangerous."

"It is, but I wasn't on Earth," Rose informed him with a cheeky grin. "I was on the planet Durmino, helping Alenica with something. They just dropped me off, but I'm in Paris rather than Cambridge. So back to my original question, can you clear my re-entry to the UK or send my passport down?"

"I'll take care of it," Benton sighed before he started to chuckle. "Honestly Tyler, can't you ever do anything the normal way."

"Probably not, look at my significant other."

"Have I ever thanked you for winning me that bet?"

"You haven't," Rose told him. "And to be honest I don't want to know how much the betting pool got up to."

"No you really don't," Benton agreed. "I'll call you back in a bit with the details. It will probably be easiest to have you take Eurostar home with an agent. I assume you need to get back to Cambridge."

"That is the plan."

"I'll take care of it. Go to Gare de Nord. We'll take it from there."

"Thank you, Benton," Rose breathed. "You're a life saver."

"We'll call it even the next time you save the world," Benton replied with a chuckle. "Take care and stay out of trouble."

"I make no promises," Rose answered before the call ended.

Exhaling, she relaxed and stretched her arms out. She had no luggage, only the cloth bag with her Star Knight outfit and her shoulder bag so she didn't need to worry about that. Maybe she should start carrying her passport in it just to be on the safe side. Rose shook her head and started walking towards the centre of the city, grateful that at least she had her regular clothes on again. Around her, Paris was in the midst of a busy Monday afternoon and Rose looked around with a small smile, just taking it in.

Then she caught sight of a man and woman that the locals were giving a wide berth to. Eyes widening Rose took in the strange man. He was dressed in a long brown coat with an even longer multicoloured scarf hanging around his neck. His hair was a mess of brown curls and he was grinning up at the Eiffel Tower. It was the Doctor in his fourth body and Rose grinned as she took him in. There was an unfamiliar woman with him, a brunette dressed in jeans and a tank top who looked uncomfortable in the clothes. Her bright blue eyes turned towards Rose, noticing her watching them.

"Come now Leela," the Doctor murmured. "This city was one of the greatest in the history of your ancestors. Paris. Do try to enjoy it."

The brunette, Leela, turned her attention back to the Doctor with a slight frown. "Must I wear these clothes?"

"Your usual attire would attract too much attention," the Doctor replied with a chuckle. "Though this is Paris in the early 21st century so perhaps it wouldn't."

"I don't understand Doctor."

"Paris is a city of experience Leela," the Doctor announced. "You can't just read the guide book. You've got to throw yourself in, eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers."

Rose almost laughed at the little speech and Leela's dubious look. Before she could change her mind, Rose all but skipped over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. Leela made a sharp move towards her that the Doctor waved off as he turned to look at her. His eyes were very pale blue, almost grey and looked at Rose curiously. She leaned up and pressed her lips against his firmly, cupping his cheek as a soft sound of surprise escaped him. Rose thought she heard a laugh from Leela, but ignored it for a moment. She might be irritated with future him, but now she at least knew that she'd stolen an earlier kiss of his. Sweet payback for his actions when she was sixteen.

"Enjoy Paris," Rose breathed.

She stepped back, enjoying the shocked, but pleased look on his face. With a grin, Rose dashed off towards the Eiffel Tower, holding in her laughter until she'd put some distance between them. She shook her head, not even bothering to hold back her wide grin as she pulled out her phone and started to navigate her way to Gare de Nord. It was time to go home and deal with the aftermath of her absence.

….Coming Soon….

Kate came to a stop in front of the young woman wearing a very long multicoloured scarf and a lab coat. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her brown eyes were largely hidden behind thick glasses. She stood up very straight as they approached and shifted nervously.

"Rose Tyler this is Petronella Osgood," Kate introduced calmly though a smile was tugging at her lips. "Our newest recruit to the Science Department."

"Nice to meet you," Rose greeted even as her eyes lingered on the scarf, remembering the last time she'd seen the Doctor. "Nice scarf."


	32. Dangerous Enterprise: Moment of Calm

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty-Two: Dangerous Enterprise: Moment of Calm

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

The bright sun overhead was the only saving grace of being outside on the chilly January morning as far as Rose Tyler was concerned. In the yard of the Tyler house, Rani Chandra was doing a series of punches as she moved across the brown lawn and carefully avoiding the raised flowerbeds. Rose smiled as she watched the teenager's form and glanced towards Clyde who was doing pushups in the corner. She tried not to laugh when she caught him glancing up towards Rani after every few pushups. The boy was not subtle. Smiling slightly, Rose turned her attention back to Rani who had finished the series of punches and was looking her way.

"Good job," Rose told her with a nod earning a pleased look from the teenager. "You're moving smoothly and your form is good." She paused thoughtfully. "You need to be careful in how much power you put into your punches and kicks. Be careful not to throw yourself off balance, but you've got the basics."

"Thanks for teaching me," Rani answered with a grin, wiping some sweat off her forehead. "I feel more confident just knowing that I've got the ability to react to a threat."

"I know exactly what you mean," Rose agreed with a nod. "Sharon and Shareen have started taking self-defense classes together so they can learn. You've got the basics and you're got a good build for it, Rani, you might want to look at studying martial arts or taking a more advanced class. I'm pretty good, but I'm not trained to teach others."

"I'll talk to my Dad," Rani promised before looking over at Clyde. "We're done for the day Clyde, you can stop now."

"Oh good," Clyde sighed in relief, half collapsing on the ground. "I really wasn't bored enough for this. Why did I do this to myself."

"You're being a wimp," Rani teased, making Rose's smile widen. "You're not bored anymore are you?"

"Too bad the Smiths are out of town," Clyde grumbled as he stood up and wiped his forehead. "Why'd they have to go to Germany?"

"Sarah Jane was invited to cover an event and with it being break she thought it would make a good holiday," Rani reminded him with a roll of her eyes as she cleaned off her own face. "Still I miss then." She paused and looked a bit sheepish. "But the break from Skye is a little nice."

"Rani how could you say such a thing?" Rose half laughed and half asked. "She's a darling girl."

"I don't know," Clyde chuckled. "You weren't here when Skye discovered Blue Peter."

"Oh," Rani sighed dramatically. "She's almost obsessed. Loves watching it."

"Hey I loved Blue Peter as a kid," Rose countered with a frown. "You can learn a little about everything watching it."

"Yeah except Skye is actually trying to go back and watch every episode," Clyde informed with a grimace. "And I mean every episode."

"It's terrible," Rani agreed eagerly. "Sarah Jane is pretending it isn't bothering her and Skye actually getting Luke to watch them with her."

"Well sibling bonding," Rose offered weakly as she tried to remember what year Blue Peter even started. "And hey Skye has a lot to learn about Earth. She's clever, but she doesn't have Luke's super-fast information processing ability." Rose chuckled and nodded to Rani for her start practising again. "And it could be worse."

"How could it be worse?" Clyde whined.

"She could have become obsessed with Coronation Street and be trying to track down and watch all of those."

"Fair point," Rani conceded. "Course she'd just have to talk to my mum."

"Really?" Rose questioned, pressing her lips together thoughtfully. "My Mum is an Eastenders fan. That and about half the reality shows currently on."

Rani made a face and Clyde dramatically rolled his eyes. Rose was saved from whatever 'humorous' comment that Clyde was about to make by her mobile ringing. She fished it out of the pocket of her hoodie and glanced down at the number. It was Kate's private line at UNIT.

"Hello," Rose greeted. "Everything alright?"

"We're fine," Kate assured her with a hint of amusement. "I'm not calling about a crisis actually, this is good news."

"Really? Now I'm very interested."

"The Valiant is ready for its first space flight. We're taking her to the asteroid belt for a quick run," Kate informed her in an even tone though Rose could hear the excitement.

"Really?" Rose gasped. "Already? I thought you were looking at another six months!"

"Not everything is finished yet, but the engines, navigation and shields are fully operations. Geneva wants a run to confirm that all the money has been worth it. We want you there of course since your work with crashed aliens has been so critical."

"Oh wow, I'd love to!" Rose replied with a widening grin. "How soon?"

"Today."

"Today?" Rose repeated. "Are you serious?"

"Geneva only made the request yesterday. I would have called sooner, but the last twenty-four hours have been crazy. You're still on break-"

"Doesn't matter," Rose assured her. "I'll meet you at HQ in say two hours."

"Two hours," Kate repeated. "Until then Rose."

Rose ended the call, letting out a breath of excitement as her nerves twisted in her chest. She could feel a nervous flutter in her stomach and couldn't help but feel pleased. While it would be a secret now, this would be historic and she got to be a part of the first mission, even if it was only an engine and navigation test.

"What's up?" Rani asked as she eyed Rose's phone. "It isn't the Doctor is it?"

"No, it's Kate Stewart," Rose answered, giving the girl a look. "We've got a thing this afternoon."

"What thing?" Clyde asked as he moved over to join them. "Science department lunch or something?"

"Uh no, something they want me to take a look at," Rose replied only to get a pair of very curious looks in response. "UNIT has been working on a… ship for awhile-"

"The Valiant," they both said at once, nodding and drawing a look of irritation from Rose.

"Clearly I need to talk with Spock about how much classified information he gives the two of you."

"Hey we don't go spreading it around," Clyde protested.

"Is it done?" Rani asked eagerly.

"Almost," Rose agreed with a small smile. "Uh look this may take a couple days actually. It all just depends on how it goes. I've got to get cleaned up and head into London."

"Right," Rani agreed with a nod. "Just… tell us what you can afterwards okay?"

"Okay," Rose agreed with a small smile before she nodded towards the gate. "Here ends the lesson for today."

Rani and Clyde headed out through the side gate, waving to Rose and making her promise to see them soon. Both were moving a bit slowly, but Rose was happy to note that their exercises and training had gotten them to a level where they weren't as tired. Still, she imagined after their showers they'd be relaxing most of the day. Rolling her own shoulders, Rose walked into the kitchen and took another drink of water. Then she headed upstairs for a shower.

…

Towelling off her still damp hair, Rose headed down the stairs dressed in jeans and a nicer dark red jumper. She heard someone moving in the kitchen and glanced inside to find Rita Anne taking a kettle off the stove.

The older woman must have heard her because without turning around she called, "Sit down and have a cuppa."

Smiling, Rose moved into the kitchen as Rita Anne was finishing her preparations. Sitting down at the table with Rita Anne, Rose smiled at the much older woman and cupped her warm mug gratefully. She shifted the towel to keep drying her hair and glanced towards the clock, noting that she was doing alright on time.

"Still teaching the kids self-defence?" Rita Anne asked with a near huff. "In this temperature?"

"It's not so bad," Rose countered with a chuckle. "Besides you won't always have the luxury of it being nice weather."

"I can't argue with that I suppose," Rita Anne conceded, sounding a bit irritated by that. "And it's not a bad thing for Rani to know how to look after herself. With her wanting to be a journalist, she'll probably cross a few people in the future. Especially if she keeps learning from Sarah Jane."

Nodding, Rose sipped the warm tea and glanced up as her mother walked by with a basket of laundry, humming to herself. Rose followed Jackie with her eyes until her mother moved out of sight and then looked back at Rita Anne who looked a bit disgusted.

"You haven't met her new bloke yet have you?" Rita Anne questioned.

"No," Rose answered with another glance towards the doorway. "I didn't realise it was that serious. Mum's had so many…" Rose trailed off uncomfortably and shook her head. "I sorta stopped paying much attention."

"She's talking about asking this one to move in," Rita Anne informed Rose sternly. "Not just those visits I was supposed to pretend I didn't know about."

"Really?" Rose questioned in surprise, frowning a little. "Does that bother you?"

"Jackie having a man living here? No, might convince Mickey that he really doesn't have to visit all the time." Rita Anne shook her head and picked up her tea again. "No there's just something not right about this one. I don't like him."

"How so?" Rose questioned, straightening up and feeling much more alert. "Anything in particular?"

"Nothing I can put my finger on," Rita Anne admitted. "He's attractive, your Mum's age and polite enough. He's got money of his own so I don't think he's after her or rather your bank accounts. I even made sure to mention last time he was over that you pay for everything, but that didn't phase him. He just remarked that you are a dutiful daughter, but there's just something! I can't put my finger on it and your Mum thinks he's just lovely."

She slapped her hand on the table and Rose frowned. Mickey's grandmother was one tough lady, she'd raised daughter who grew up to have Mickey and left him with her. She's been feared by the kids on the Estate who knew better than to try anything. Plus she was well past the point of allowing anything to surprise her, even the information that Rose and Mickey both worked for UNIT had only gotten a hum and a lecture from her. So the idea that Rita Anne didn't like this guy and couldn't put her finger on it was worrying.

It wasn't like she had reasons to worry about herself either. Rita Anne couldn't just be concerned about being asked to leave which was unlikely as she had become family to Jackie. Mickey would be done with his own degree in a year and Rose knew his officer commission was waiting for that day. Benton had his eye on Mickey and even with him retiring in the future Rose knew that Kate would appreciate Mickey's more balanced approach. He had a well-paying job and despite Rita Anne's protests would have been happy to buy a house for her to live with him in. So this was something else completely and Rose didn't like the sound of that.

"Any idea when I can meet him?" Rose questioned seriously earning her a small smile from Rita Anne.

"That's what I like about you Rose," Rita Anne remarked. "You respect your elders and don't beat around the bush."

Rose wasn't sure how accurate either of those was, but she appreciated it and smiled. "Well if it is getting serious then I should meet him regardless, shouldn't I."

"By that logic, your mother should be meeting that boyfriend you're keeping hidden," Rita Anne retorted with a laugh, giving a pointed look to Rose's ring which was now on her left hand.

"I've had this for years and you know it," Rose reminded her, fighting back a blush. "And wearing it on my left hand keeps idiots from making passes."

"Doesn't change the fact you've got a man," Rita Anne told Rose calmly. "Just pointing out that you'll need to be a bit careful in how you approach this with your mother."

"Noted," Rose sighed, rubbing her temples for a moment. "I've got to get my things together. I'm going to a big meeting, last minute." Rose told her carefully. "I might not be back for a couple of days."

"Then I don't want to know any more about it."

Rose chuckled and nodded, "See you later Rita Anne."

"Do stay out of trouble Rose," Rita Anne called after her as Rose headed up the stairs.

…..

UNIT HQ was in near chaos as Rose parked her SUV and climbed out to meet Malcolm who was waiting for her by the lift doors. He looked frazzled but was practically jittery with excitement.

"Hello Malcolm," Rose greeted with a smile, letting the man give her a big hug. "Excited?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"Oh very Rose," he answered with an eager smile, grabbing her hand and tugging her along after him. 'I'm so glad you could join us for this."

"So how is the Valiant?" Rose questioned as a guard opened a door for them.

"The name is still being debated," Malcolm admitted with a laugh as they walked through the corridors of UNIT.

"What are the options?" Rose questioned.

"Well the original plans were for a ship called the Valiant," Kate informed Rose as she walked down the hall towards them. "But that was for an atmosphere vessel." She smiled at Rose and extended her hand. "Good to see you, Rose."

"Always a pleasure Kate," Rose returned as she released Kate's hand. "So you were saying?"

"After our work helping crashed ships we've learned enough to make it a fully operational space ship," Malcolm chimed in, rubbing his hands together eagerly like a boy on Christmas morning. "So there's new debate on the name."

"Not so much a debate," Kate pointed out with a fond smile in Malcolm's direction. "More like suggestions from some of the science department."

"What suggestions?" Rose asked, her lips curling into a smile as she grew suspicious.

" _Enterprise_ ," Malcolm confided with a grin.

"Okay I like that much better than Valiant," Rose told Kate seriously as she turned back to her. "Can we hold a vote?"

"Are you going to hand over Spock to serve as the main computer control?" Kate questioned with a growing smile.

"Not yet, after Sarah Jane has no need of them then we may have to seriously talk about that," Rose offered carefully. "But that could mean Spock on the _Enterprise-A_ or something."

"Let's worry about the first Enter- I mean the first ship for now," Kate replied, shaking her head at her own little slip. "And come along Rose, I'll take you to the transmat."

"You coming, Malcolm?" Rose questioned as she looked back at Malcolm.

"I need to wrap this up and then I'll be right behind you," Malcolm promised.

Kate made an impatient noise and Rose turned to follow her out of the room while rolling her eyes. They stepped into a long plain corridor and a woman appeared to be waiting by a doorway at the end of it. A few soldiers were scattered about on guard duty and nodded to her and Kate as they strode by. Kate came to a stop in front of the young woman wearing a very long multicoloured scarf and a lab coat. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her brown eyes were largely hidden behind thick glasses. She stood up very straight as they approached and shifted nervously.

"Rose Tyler this is Petronella Osgood," Kate introduced calmly though a smile was tugging at her lips. "Our newest recruit to the Science Department."

"Nice to meet you," Rose greeted even as her eyes lingered on the scarf, remembering the last time she'd seen the Doctor. "Nice scarf."

"Thanks," Osgood stuttered. "Uh very nice to meet you too."

"So dare I ask where they found you?" Rose asked in a teasing tone.

"Actually my dad was part of UNIT," Osgood stammered. "Not part of the science department, but still…"

"That's great," Rose told her, glancing towards Kate who looked ready to laugh.

"Yeah," Osgood gasped, shifting nervously again.

"Uh… are you okay?" Rose questioned uneasily.

"Sorry! I just- I mean you're Rose Tyler," Osgood breathed with barely contained excitement. "Future Mrs Doctor."

Rose grimaced at that description, but beside her, Kate merely chuckled. "Don't call me that," Rose sighed, trying to keep her voice even. "I love the man and I'm accepting that practically everyone at UNIT knows about us, but I am not only my relationship."

"Right," Osgood breathed as her eyes widened further and the hero worship glow in them actually increased. "Of course you're right."

Rose had a bad feeling that her response had only increased the hero worship radiating off the young woman. Still, she had a feeling that the Doctor would find her adorable and Rose had to admit that she really was. Osgood recovered quickly and looked back to Kate for instructions.

"We're going to transmat up to the ship now," Kate informed the young woman. "Toshiko and Malcolm will follow us in a few minutes."

"Yes ma'am," Osgood answered quickly, spinning back to the doorway so fast that she almost tripped on her scarf. "Right through here Miss Tyler."

Rose looked over at Kate one more time, noting the amused expression still clear on her face. It was a little annoying and a little funny, especially when Rose conceded how much her amused expression was like her fathers. Sighing, she followed Osgood into the room and smiled as she took in the repaired transmat machine on the far side of the room.


	33. Dangerous Enterprise: Unwelcome and Welc

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty-Three: Dangerous Enterprise: Unwelcome and Welcome

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose was beginning to feel dizzy. They'd been walking around on a tour for over an hour: taking in everything from the engine room to living quarters and to the laboratories. The ship had been designed to squeeze as much as possible into every little nook and cranny. It was both impressive and terrifying. Rose knew that in another life she had worked on space ships, but in this one, it was all too confining. Not that she'd tell the Doctor that, he'd preen over the TARDIS, but the trans-dimensional spaceship had definitely spoiled her for other kinds of travel.

"And lastly," Kate announced with a wide smile as they came to a stop in the grey corridor. "The bridge!"

The doors slid open, sadly without the sound from Star Trek to reveal the main control hub of the whole vessel. The ship's bridge had an open layout, roughly an oval in shape. Computers lined almost every inch of the walls with a round set of controls in the very middle of the room around what looked a bit like a table. After a moment, Rose grinned as she realised that it was a holographic surface.

"Marvellous isn't it," Malcolm whispered to her. "As much as I adore the old Star Trek and Star Wars, navigating a ship on two dimensions just doesn't work."

"Agreed," Rose answered with a grin of her own as she kept taking it all in. "It looks great Malcolm. Pity the technology isn't widely available yet."

"Soon," Malcolm promised. "Sadly it is still too expensive to mass produce, but give it a few years and every home will have something like it."

Smiling, Rose gave a small nod and returned to assessing the bridge. Everything was a soft pale grey in colour, not too dark, but not so bright as to be distracting. Each chair had a built in harness was securing to the floor. Every workstation looked largely the same except for what Rose assumed was the captain's position which was part of the inner round controls but had a chair with small controls built into the armrests and a larger touchscreen in front of it. Rose wondered who would be the ship's first captain. UNIT had a lot of good officers, but she hoped it wouldn't be Mace. He lacked imagination a bit, maybe Frost. That would be great, she inwardly decided, the first human starship captain being a woman.

"We're very pleased with the bridge," Kate said, coming up next to her as technicians began to file in. "Utility and safety were a large part of its design."

"It looks good," Rose agreed. "It will be interesting to see how it works in actuality."

"Indeed, now the technicians have been training for the last five months straight to operate the different systems. Everyone is trained in at least three areas of the ship's computer controls so that should an emergency arise there are multiple combinations of crew able to operate the ship."

"So I'm assuming that the computers up here feed commands directly to the systems?" Rose questioned.

"Most of them yes, life support is controlled and monitored up here. Navigation is largely run from here, but some adjustments have to be made in Engineering. Obliviously that is where many of the systems are actually located."

"Is there just one engineering sector?" Rose asked as she watched the technicians take their places.

"No, there are three major engineering decks," Kate announced proudly. "One for the engines and navigation, another for life support and the third is auxiliary for the other two and a few others systems."

"Smart."

"We thought so," Kate agreed, puffing up a bit proudly. "There is also a view screen so we can see the outside. The bridge is at the core of the ship, but external cameras feed a 2-D view inside." Kate reached to touch a button on the captain's chair and the grey wall on the far side flickered.

A stunning panorama of Earth appeared in front of them making Rose gasp softly. Part of the planet was already going dark with lines of light crisscrossing Asia and fading into browns, greens and blues.

"Three years," Kate sighed. "But we're here. Thank goodness for the moon base."

"Yeah," Malcolm agreed with a chuckle as he looked at the view. "And the working transmat. Between the two it was enough to build the _Enterprise_."

"Now Malcolm you know the name isn't final," Kate scolded lightly even as her lips twitched.

"It is very impressive," Rose agreed, smiling at the interchange.

Behind them, the doors opened and Osgood walked in, almost tripping on her scarf with Toshiko right behind her. Rose grinned, Tosh was looking very healthy and happy, a great contrast to when they first met. It made Rose grin at how far everything had come in only a few short years. Then she felt a slight pang at the reminder that she'd soon be leaving Earth and visits to UNIT would be a rarer event. Unaware of Rose's sadder thoughts, Tosh smiled warmly at her, but then turned her attention to Kate.

"All systems checked are complete ma'am," Tosh told her. "We can disconnect from the construction support network."

"The what?" Rose asked in surprise.

"The moon base constructed a shell looks a bit like a rib cage actually, that wraps around the ship," Kate explained. "It's how the built it. Today we will be disengaging from it and Ent- the ship will be orbiting Earth and then moving all on her own."

"Moonbase is ready ma'am," one of the technicians called and Kate nodded.

"Well then," Kate exhaled slowly and looked at Malcolm. "Doctor Taylor, you oversaw the start of the project, would you care to end it."

Malcolm looked ready to fall over, his eyes were wide and excited. He nodded eagerly and loudly called, "Disengage!" As soon as he said the words he flushed and shifted like he just couldn't contain his excitement.

Rose gripped the railing by the door and held her breath as the ship shuddered slightly. It wasn't much in truth, just a soft swaying as the gravity changed a little due to the exterior structure being moved.

"The artificial gravity is very good," Tosh said lightly next to her, though Rose could hear a small note of fear.

"Well the ship does have enough mass to help things along," Rose offered with a weak smile.

There was tension all through the bridge and then suddenly it was gone. Everyone breathed out a little and Kate straightened up even more. She nodded to Malcolm who looked torn between fainting and grinning.

"Okay," Kate announced carefully. "Take us out slowly. We're heading towards Mars. Lets' get that far with the engines and see how we're doing."

And the tension was back even as the technicians carefully put in the course and the vibrations of the engines increased beneath their feet. Rose didn't blame them. This was the first ship on its first mission. If anything went wrong there was no one to save them. Well no one on Earth anyway. Rose suddenly had a very strong suspicion as to why she'd been invited along despite never working on the project directly.

"I'm the emergency rescue plan aren't I?" Rose asked Malcolm softly as he shifted back to her side.

"Well… we did want you here, but maybe a little… yes," he admitted slowly making Rose chuckle.

"Still, it's fantastic to be here," Rose assured him as her eyes moved to the 3-D display in the middle of the room.

Everything was silent on the bridge except for the sounds of the engines and computers. The sphere representing Earth was moving away from them and suddenly vanished from the 3-D model. Small objects were appearing and moving slowly across their path and on the view screen the darkness of space was vanishing as more and more stars became bright and clear.

"It's beautiful," Tosh breathed, sounding choked up and a little overwhelmed. "So much more than you can see from Earth."

"Yes," Rose agreed with a soft smile, remembering the first time the Doctor had taken her to see her galaxy from outside of it. "Absolutely beautiful."

Then the ship shuddered. The distant hum of the engines changed and while the ship didn't come to a stop the feel of its forward motion changed.

"What the-" Kate snapped as the ship suddenly jolted to the right. "Report!"

"Navigation system just went offline ma'am," one of the techs called back, their voice just at the edge of panic. "Engines have shut down."

"We're still moving," another tech added unhelpfully.

"Ma'am," Osgood called in a tight voice from a computer she was leaning over. "Intruders detected."

"Intruders?" Kate gasped in disbelief. "How? Where?"

"Down on Engines engineering level," Osgood answered softly. "And in Navigation level." She hit a few keys, partially pushing the technicians out of the way. "Cameras just went down, but at least ten I'd say based on what the system picked up."

"Anything from the Auxiliary sector?" Kate demanded.

"It seems clear," Osgood replied. "But we can't activate those systems with the other two sectors still working properly. I'm sorry ma'am," Osgood answered softly. "We've lost control of the ship."

"No one but UNIT staff and only a small group at that was aware of this test," Kate reminded them as she frowned deeply. "And yet these forces somehow gained access and control of the engineering deck."

"From there they can counteract any orders we give the computers," Malcolm added uneasily, sweating a little. "This is very bad."

"Okay calm down," Rose told them before licking her lips. "The issue right now isn't how they got onboard, but how to regain control of the ship. _Enterprise_ doesn't have any weapon systems correct?"

"Correct," Kate agreed with a nod. "There is still debate about putting any major weapon systems on the ship, though plans for basic weaponry systems in case of asteroids was planned to start next month."

"Maybe they know that maybe they don't, but at least it means that the ship can't be used as a weapon against Earth just yet."

"Or they may be after the ship itself," Kate pointed out with a deepening frown. "We need to alert HQ and Geneva before we lose communication."

"The signal will take a few minutes ma'am," Toshiko reminded her as she crossed the room to an unmanned computer.

"I don't need a reply," Kate announced. "I just need them to be aware." She shook her head and glanced towards the doors. "How did they get onboard?"

"Maybe with supplies," Rose offered with a sigh. "They could have hidden in boxes and only come out after a certain amount of time. In just a few minutes we'd be away from Earth and with this just being a test run I'm guessing there isn't a full crew aboard."

"There isn't even a full crew selected," Kate sighed. "I don't like the idea that they had all this information, Rose."

"I don't either," Rose agreed. She paused as suspicions began to swirl in her mind. "Who on the Security Council suggested this test? Do you know who it was?"

"No I don't," Kate replied slowly with darkening angry eyes. "I see what you're saying, but a member of the Security Council-"

"Could be Eclipse," Rose offered, turning so she was facing the door with her right hand at the ready. "They have a lot of power and connections."

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Malcolm all but stuttered. "We need to focus on the ship. Now how many armed personnel do we have onboard?" he asked Kate.

"Six," Kate sighed. "And sidearms only, nothing more powerful and there aren't any weapons onboard."

"What do we have onboard?" Rose asked.

The answer was lost as a strong wind began to blow through the control room. Around them, the technicians all looked around with worried expressions that changed to awe as a blue box began to materialise in the control room just in front of the view screen. Rose teased up nervously and licked her lips, wondering which Doctor it would be this time. She couldn't deny a lingering hurt in her chest after he ran last time.

"Thank goodness," Kate said. Relief was all over her face and she even smiled a little. "For once he's right on time."

"Don't let him hear you say that," Rose said. "He doesn't need a bigger ego." None the less, Rose smiled as the TARDIS finished appearing.

"It's the Doctor," one of the technicians whispered. They all began to stand up.

"Stay at your stations," Kate ordered. "We need to keep an eye on what we still have control of."

Rose said nothing and just waited, trying not to fidget. Then the Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, his green eyes lighting up when he saw her. His floppy brown hair looked a bit shorter and he'd changed his wardrobe again. The tweed jacket was gone and instead, he was wearing a longer burgundy coat over a grey waistcoat and black pants that she thought might just be jeans. Of course, he still had the bowtie and the sight of it Rose smiled. He looked older with a tiny hint of grey in his hair and more laugh lines around his eyes. He grinned, moving forward with quick strides.

"Hello Darling," he greeted. The Doctor leaned forward and gently caught her cheek in his palm.

"Hello Doctor," Rose answered with a smile. The knot in her stomach easing at his open smile.

Without any concern for the squeaking Osgood, the Doctor leaned forward and kissed her. Sighing against his lips and internally recognising that without the visits from his Tenth self she was really missing him no matter how irritated she still was, Rose deepened the kiss. Her hands went to his chest and gripped the lapels of his coat.

"Excuse me," Kate called. She sounded a bit too amused as her voice cut through Rose's happy haze. "Rose, Doctor we do have a situation to address."

The Doctor released Rose's lips, but his arm around her waist kept her firmly against his side. A loud sigh escaped him and he mock glared at Kate over Rose's shoulder. "Why do Lethbridge-Stewarts always feel the need to cut in?"

"Maybe it has to do with your sense of timing or priorities," Kate suggested. There was a small smile tugging at her lips. "It is good to see you, Doctor. Thank you for coming to help."

"First true human spaceship, maiden voyage and trouble." The Doctor released Rose and rubbed his hands together. "How could I resist?" He leaned forward and kissed Rose's forehead. "Course from what I understand you have hostiles aboard?"

"Are they Eclipse?" Rose questioned. She tried not to blush at the way all the technicians were staring at them. Sadly they weren't easy to ignore.

"To confirm that would be to abuse my knowledge as a time traveller," the Doctor said quickly. "We need to focus on keeping them from controlling the ship. Right now they are using the direct access in engineering to control the engines and navigation. Thankfully turning off life support isn't in their favour. While you outnumber them, they are much better armed. Have I missed anything?"

"You seem to know as much if not more than we do," Kate replied with a nod. "So what do we do? They've most certainly set up defensive positions and I don't want to send our people to die."

"Agreed!" The Doctor dropped one of his hands and quickly took Rose's, twisting their fingers together effortlessly. "No, send your soldiers to guard the entrances to engineering. If we can keep them from moving around the ship that gives us an advantage."

"Right," Kate said. She turned on her heel and moving towards the door where two of the soldiers were waiting.

"Do you need anything Doctor?" Osgood asked with wide happy eyes. "What can we do to help?"

"No, well if you have any jammie dodgers on board I wouldn't say no to that," the Doctor answered with a widening grin. Then his eyes dropped to Osgood's scarf. "Nice scarf."

"Thanks," Osgood squeaked. "And I'm sorry I don't think there are any jammie dodgers onboard. The galley wasn't exactly stocked for this."

"Too bad, but make sure when this ship is running full time that it is properly stocked," the Doctor lectured as if talking about something vital. "Never know when you might want jammie dodgers."

"Doctor," Kate called a bit impatiently drawing his attention back to her. "May I suggest that we focus on the fact that we no longer have control over our engineering sections? I've sent the soldiers to try to keep these forces contained so they can't take the third engineering sector."

"Right," the Doctor said. "Yes of course." He rubbed his hands together for a moment before grabbing Rose's hand. "I have just the plan for this."


	34. Dangerous Enterprise: Really Talk

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty-Four: Dangerous Enterprise: Really Talk

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Everyone was staring at the Doctor as he grinned at his own cleverness and Rose tried not to sigh and roll her eyes. It was amazing how quickly one could get over the Doctor preening. Then he thankfully seemed to realise that they were awaiting a bit more than his announcement. Kate cleared her throat and gave the Doctor a rather pointed look.

"Well step one is the secure the auxiliary room," the Doctor told Kate who nodded.

"I've ordered our last guards down there," she informed him. "The problems I foresee is if they got access to the ship then it is likely that they are familiar with the blueprints. Potentially even more so than those actually with us on the ship. This also leaves us defenceless up here on the bridge."

"Oh Kate you've got me," the Doctor reminded her with a big boyish grin as he adjusted his bowtie.

"Doctor," Rose murmured with a sharp look as she suppressed a smile. "Focus on the next step. We can keep an eye on the bridge, but there aren't supplies to just stay in space in a deadlock."

"Rose is correct," Kate agreed with a worried frown. "We have a couple of days worth of supplies just in case of a delay, but that's it."

"Hmmm, someone was in a hurry to get you out into space," the Doctor announced with a frown of his own. "Have you alerted UNIT on Earth?"

"We have," Kate confirmed before pausing. "And I sent a special code to Benton as well. Father is in Geneva right now so Benton will let him know to keep his eyes open."

Rose paused and glanced towards Kate, wondering just when she'd become so open about her father. After all, she'd originally tried to stay away from the association, Maybe she felt that she was respected in her own right now, but this wasn't the time to talk about it.

"Okay, so Earth knows what's happening. Do not alert them that I am here, I'd rather keep our guests in the dark on that as long as possible. They aren't a pleasant lot," the Doctor told Kate, barely holding in a shudder that sent Rose's mind back to when Eclipse had captured him. "Right let's see…." The Doctor looked around and grinned as he found. "Tosh! Lovely to see you. How's your mother?" The Doctor asked as he scampered over to her.

"Sh-she's fine," Tosh stuttered in surprise, tensing up as the Doctor shifted next to her.

"Good to hear," the Doctor chuckled as Rose joined them. In the corner of her eye, she saw Kate shake her head and turn to speak with one of the technicians. "We need to reroute the control signals," the Doctor explained to her and Tosh. "The system is set up that the bridge gives commands to engineering. Right now they are in engineering and thus are able to keep the signals from the bridge from taking effect. We need to make the auxiliary the new primary. That way we have control over the ship's navigation."

"Won't they turn violent if they lose control?" Tosh asked uneasily.

"Most certainly and sadly they are armed. Never a pleasant combination, but neither is giving Eclipse important UNIT hostages and a ship large enough to cause real damage to the planet without weapons," the Doctor said seriously.

Rose didn't like the sound of that and the Doctor's tone made her tense up. Despite his lighthearted banter with UNIT he was actually worried. He caught her eye with his sharp green ones and extended his hand to her. Rose took it without a second thought, shifting their fingers into an easy and perfect grip.

"Rose and I will work on the rewiring," the Doctor announced to Kate. "Access points?"

"Right here on the bridge actually," Kate answered with a look of relief, gesturing over to a metal panel at the far side of the controls.

The Doctor pulled her over with him and she got a good look at it. She could see that there was too much space behind the controls, indicating a space. When she'd first come onto the bridge she'd assumed it was a loo or something, but the door on inspection was a bit too narrow for that. The narrow door came open with one good pull, revealing a narrow service corridor that ran behind all the outer controls. Having recently been in small crawlspaces that served the same purpose, she was fairly impressed. She paused and glanced back into the main bridge where Kate who was leaning over one of the screens with a frown. Tosh and Osgood were with Malcolm, already working on the coding. The Doctor swept into the service corridor and Rose followed one step behind. The inner wall was covered with bundles of wires that seemed to go on forever and thin glowing tubes that cast a soft light around them.

"Nice," the Doctor murmured as he tugged lightly at some of the wires and looked around. "Very nice for early 21stCentury Earth."

"Not too nice?" Rose questioned with a hint of unease, putting her hands on her hips.

"Nope, not too nice," the Doctor confirmed with a chuckle as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver with a flourish and gently cut some of the wires. "Strip these," he told her, pushing the bundle in her direction. "I need at least a foot to work with.

Shaking her head, Rose pulled out her sonic pen and carefully started cutting back the plastic coating of the wires as the Doctor hummed softly and kept running his hands across the wiring.

"So how is school?" the Doctor questioned with a small smile after a few silent moments.

"Really?" Rose countered with a surprised look. "That's what you're going with?"

"I know it isn't the most exciting part of your life," the Doctor answered with a slight frown and tilt of his head as he looked up at her. "But it is an important part."

"School's fine," Rose answered as she dropped her eyes back to the wires in her hand. "Everything is in place for me to graduate," she muttered. "Honestly it can be a bit boring except for Ian's classes."

"Rose," the Doctor called softly. "What is it, Darling?"

"Nothing," Rose replied sharper than she meant to as she kept stripping the wires.

"Rose, don't lie to your bondmate," the Doctor chided as he sat up, nearly hitting his head on the controls.

"I'm not your bondmate, whatever that is, now am I," Rose huffed in response as she looked up and met the Doctor's green eyes.

He didn't seem angry. This incarnation never seemed angry with her or even the universe in general. It was a startling contrast to his earlier self, one that gave her so much hope for his future but at the moment was also adding to the guilt. He was happy and yet she also knew that right now he wasn't. Time travel made it a mess, but she just knew that his leather wearing self was out there hurting and she wasn't helping.

"I didn't leave without you because I didn't care," the Doctor assured her and she knew he was referring to that day in Utah after the Dalek. Just like he had plucked the thought from her head. "It was just me running."

"I know that," Rose admitted as she let the wires slip from her hands. "I should have just gone with you when you first asked me."

"You would have regretted it," the Doctor countered with a soft chuckle. "I know how proud you were when you were accepted into Cambridge: girl from the Powell Estate that everyone dismissed who went on to be a top student even while dealing with alien threats. That's one of the reasons I ran in Utah Rose. You cared enough to give up something that meant so much to you, I couldn't let you do that and left before I could change my mind, hoping that you'd forgive me."

"You could have taken me with you for a while and then dropped me off," Rose pointed out. "Just for a little while in a few months."

"Rose," the Doctor breathed as he gave her a soft look. "Even then I knew that I wouldn't willing part with you once I let you into my life all the way."

"Yeah but you're alone now," Rose reminded him even as his words warmed her and made her blush for a moment. "And…I worry. I should be there, be with you."

The Doctor smiled at her, a warm glow in her green eyes as he reached over and cupped her cheek. His thumb caressed her skin gently and he just looked at her for a long moment. She felt totally raw and exposed and wondered not for the first time just what it was that he saw when he looked at her like that.

"Rose Tyler," he said, drawing her name out reverently. "Darling you don't need to worry. You already saved that version of me years ago."

"What?"

"I wasn't interested in living after the Time War," the Doctor admitted. "I was angry when I regenerated, couldn't understand why my prior body hadn't fought it off."

"You can choose?"

"Yes," the Doctor admitted softly with a nod, brushing his thumb over her cheek. "That other life of yours…when I died against the Nestene Consciousness, in that world I didn't run out of time or anything like that. I chose not to regenerate because I didn't have anything to look forward to." The Doctor was looking at her tenderly as he added, "After we first met when you were eleven years old… I went off and did some foolish things."

"Foolish things?" Rose asked, feeling dread knot in her gut at the idea of what the Doctor would consider foolish.

"Chased some fixed points," the Doctor admitted with a grimace. "Krakatoa, the Titanic and Kennedy's assassination just on Earth. Waiting for something to get me." The Doctor didn't give her long to dwell on the horrible implications of that. "Then I met you again. You told me 'until next time' like you already knew that we'd keep meeting each other," he recalled fondly, beaming at her with that boyish smile. "I stopped chasing death and after you revealed that you knew me in future incarnation… well, it was something amazing to learn that I had a future. Really had a future when I'd been certain I didn't. Not to mention that there was this brilliant young woman that apparently I was supposed to watch over. Even in my pain, I wasn't willing to put her at risk. And then she became important to me, not just what she meant or symbolised, but she did. The way she smiled and laughed, the way she stood up to me and the way she saw the world. All of it so beautiful."

"I-" Rose sputtered, trying to say something as the enormity of what he'd just told her sunk in. They didn't really talk often and now he was being so honest. It was humbling, scary and satisfying all at once. "Doctor…"

The Doctor leaned forward and kissed her forehead tenderly before resting his forehead against hers letting them breathe the same air for a moment. "Your very existence makes a difference Darling. Even if you aren't beside me. I know that you're worried about me and that is so sweet and touching and so very you, but it will be alright."

"But will it be another year or ten years before you pick me up after graduation?" Rose pressed. "How long will it be for you?"

"He's waving the white flag of surrender," the Doctor chuckled. "After he left Utah he set the coordinates for your graduation. No more delays, no more hoping he'll get over those feelings and no more pretending he wants to go anywhere without Rose Tyler." He sighed and shook his head as he added, "Course that doesn't mean that he isn't still an idiot who is going to drag his feet on starting our relationship. Please remember that you promised to be patient with me."

"I did didn't I," Rose remarked with a small smile. "Well, I suppose I can live with you being a stubborn idiot for a bit then."

"Oi," the Doctor protested with a slight pout. "I resemble that remark."

"Don't you just," Rose teased, squeezing his hand before he brought it up and kissed it.

"Never doubt that I love you, Rose Tyler," the Doctor told her gently, his eyes glowing with sincerity. "And never doubt that I dread thinking about what I'd be without you."

"I love you too," Rose answered softly, feeling a blush taking over her face which just made the Doctor smile.

"Feeling better then?" the Doctor asked, running a finger down her cheek.

"Well still a little irritated with younger you," Rose admitted even as she smiled a little. "But yeah I am. Thank you."

The Doctor's smile was wide and bright and Rose felt a bit light headed. It just wasn't fair, but she swallowed thickly and handed him the bundle of stripped wires. He gave her a far too smug knowing look and started using the sonic screwdriver to fuse the wires to new connections. The smug look turned to one of satisfaction as some new lights flickered on along the wall and the Doctor hummed to himself.

"Step one almost complete," he announced. "Tosh and Malcolm should have the recoding done soon and the bridge can resume control."

"And then what?" Rose pressed. "Do we head back to Earth and hope the UNIT forces can hold them in position?"

The ship suddenly shuddered around them. Far below the engines fired up again and Rose could feel the vibrations through the metal floor. Next to her, the Doctor groaned and lightly smacked his head against the wall.

"Doctor!" Kate called from the main room. "Doctor!"

"Why is it never easy?" the Doctor groaned.

"You'd get bored," Rose sighed, shaking her head. "They seem to have a plan of their own."

"Course they do," the Doctor grumbled, reaching over and taking her hand again. "Come along darling. More things to do."

Smiling, Rose let him rush her out into the main room. It was a bit embarrassing sometimes, but she was already far too aware that she'd follow him anywhere. Of course, she reflected, that seemed to be mutual.


	35. Dangerous Enterprise: Retake Engineering

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty-Five: Dangerous Enterprise: Retake Engineering

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Everyone on the bridge was moving except Kate who was finally seated in the captain's chair and speaking with the troops who had secured the access to engineering. Others were jumping between technicians who was shouting off reports to Kate. The ship hummed unhappily around them and Rose shivered at the squealing sound she could vaguely hear. Her eyes moved back to the TARDIS and she swallowed, reassuring herself that they really were safe. Abandoning the _Enterprise_ would be horrible at this stage, but it was possible if needed.

The presence of the TARDIS cast a strange feeling over the bridge. Everyone knew that they weren't really in danger of dying, but there was still an urgency that Rose couldn't quite put her finger on. A sense of duty, pride and desire to not be helpless were amongst the emotions she was picking up most.

The Doctor moved from computer to computer, calmly pushing aside the staff as he used the sonic screwdriver to do things Rose couldn't even follow. There was an urgency to his movements and he toyed with his bowtie twice in under one minute though he spoke evenly with the staff. Rose glanced towards the door as the ship shifted again. The internal gravity systems were adjusting thus far, but she wondered how long it would be until the intruders did something really bad.

Her eyes jumped over to the 3D display. Asteroids were beginning to appear more frequently and Rose tried to remember just how far out the asteroid belt was. The ship had some shielding, but nothing capable of standing up to that. They were still firmly in the orbital plane with no signs of adjusting yet. She heard a soft worried sound from Malcolm and looked over to find him staring at the display as well.

"Ah!" the Doctor groaned, smacking his hand against the top of one of the computers. "Early 21st century! Honestly, when will you learn to make computers?"

"You've managed with worse," Kate reminded the Doctor in a totally even voice, still completely calm.

"I'm not sure how!" the Doctor grumbled, all but pouting at the machine before he dashed back into the service corridor only to return a moment later. "I had a talent with gadgets in that body if we're honest."

Below the engines flared again sending them jolting forward. A collective gasp filled the room as the ship barely missed a large asteroid that sailed past the tip of the nose.

"We're approaching the orbital plane," Malcolm called as he frantically checked the computer. "Doctor-"

"Pulled in when the engines stopped," the Doctor agreed absently as he continued to poke at the cabling beneath the centre controls and ignored whatever else Malcolm had been going to say. "What are they doing? What's the point of this?"

The ship shook again. Kate looked with alarm and the Doctor tensed across the room as he shifted out from underneath the computers. His green eyes went to the TARDIS and his shoulder's relaxed a little. Apparently, he was reminding himself that they had a way out too. Rose swallowed as the ship shuddered again. Something very problematic was happening in engineering. Probably the engines which seemed to be firing on and off. Worry churned in her gut, had the intruders damaged something? Were they trying to force them to surrender or die? She knew from experience that Eclipse didn't exactly value the lives of their employees.

"Maybe they are seeking to destroy the ship," Kate suggested uneasily. "It would put our efforts back several years." She looked towards the TARDIS and the Doctor. "If we can't save the ship…"

"This ship is supposed to be saved," the Doctor told her without looking her way. "It's become part of future events in history. Took the place of a ship that would have been built later," he rambled and Rose wondered just what that meant. Had _Enterprise_ somehow become a fixed point despite its creation not being one? Was that possible? The Doctor's eyes jumped to her and Rose wondered if he was referring to something in her personal future involving _Enterprise_. Now she was getting a headache. "But I won't let the crew die," the Doctor promised as he looked back at Kate. "We still have enough time."

He was up to something. The Doctor knew something that was keeping him from just pushing everyone into the TARDIS and leaving. Rose had no clue what it was and was surprised that despite having the TARDIS he was willing to run the risk. Kate looked her way, but all Rose could do was shrug.

Looking back at the Doctor, Rose found him lying on his back beneath the controls. Tosh was kneeling beside him and they were talking rapidly about how to potentially reroute the controls yet again. The problem was that Rose wasn't certain it was really a control problem. She glanced towards Kate who was speaking with the troops in a low voice with the radio system.

"How are they?" Rose asked as she shifted over to join Kate.

"They're holding position at both engineering locations," Kate assured her. "But I can't risk sending them in, with the cameras down we don't know what we're dealing with." She nodded towards the Doctor. "Do you know what's going on?"

"No," Rose sighed. "I'm guessing that this ship becomes important in a future event, maybe even a fixed point. He could get us all away from here now, but he isn't. It's weird, but just trust him."

"I would rather not lose the ship," Kate admitted. "But that is a relief." Kate paused and looked back towards the Doctor. "Rose could you-"

"I was already heading down there to check it out," Rose offered with a slight grin. "Malcolm and Tosh are doing fine helping the Doctor. I'll try to prep a fallback route just in case."

"Thank you," Kate added with a slight sigh.

Heading for the door, Rose paused and glanced back at the Doctor more now time. She debated telling him that she was going down to check but thought better of it. He could be a little too overprotective and they needed him here. Kate caught her eye and nodded, saying something through the communication system once more.

….

The interior of the ship was sleek. Small hidey holes and access points were scattered throughout the corridors and just in case of gravity failed small handholds were placed at corners and at points along the ceiling. It was a bit odd looking, but when you understood the purpose it wasn't too strange. Rose didn't run but walked quickly with her heels of her boots echoing only the slightest bit in the understaffed ship.

A chart to her right provided a layout of the corridors and Rose followed the directions to the right. The group of three UNIT soldiers was still in position around the large door of the engineering section with weapons trained on the entrance. All of them were in full gear with heavy boots, belts with supplies and light armour over their chests. Rose wondered about UNIT having all that on board and little else.

"Anything from inside?" Rose asked professionally as she looked towards the doorway and stopped next to the highest ranking soldier.

"We've been hearing noises," the sergeant informed her calmly. "Nothing major, but they are definitely doing something in there."

"Any other points of access into this level of engineering?" Rose questioned.

"Uh, I'm not sure ma'am," the sergeant answered uncertainly. "There is an emergency exit, but we've already sealed it.

"Agent Thorn," one of the private called softly. "I think this access corridor might lead in. I've been keeping an eye on it just in case."

Rose turned towards them and looked at the small opening in the wall that led into the inside of the ship like the one on the bridge. She looked at the curve of the hallway and nodded slowly. It was easy to believe that the access points would connect without anyone really thinking about it.

"There doesn't seem like anywhere else it could go," she agreed carefully. "If it has a second opening it would probably have to be in engineering."

"The problem is that it is too narrow for weapons," the private reminded her, shifting in her full gear regretfully.

"For you, yeah," Rose confirmed. "But I could get through. I'm not carrying any gear."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea ma'am," the private told her with a frown.

"I'll just take a peek," Rose promised. "But they're doing something in there that isn't so easy to get around. The staff on the bridge is still working with the Doctor to take over the auxiliary systems again."

"Stewart said as much," the sergeant agreed, looking uneasily at the private.

"Yeah, but isn't working right. We need to know that they're doing and the cameras are down."

"I'm still not sure about you going in," the sergeant insisted. "If something happens to you…."

The rest of the statement was left hanging and Rose fought back a sigh. Without a word, she moved over to the access panel on the wall. With a quick whirl of the sonic pen, she opened the seal and opened the small door carefully. Part of her knew that she was being stubborn about this. They weren't in serious danger, not with the TARDIS on board. A voice in her head that sounded a little too much like Shareen suggested that she felt the need to prove herself because of Osgood's Future Mrs Doctor remark. It might be right.

The access tunnel filled the wall between the corridor and engineering. Rose could feel the thrum of the machines with every step as she carefully navigated around the piping and bundles of wires attached to the wall. She smiled as she caught sight of the other service entrance up ahead. If she was right about the layout then the private had been correct that this was another way into the engineering area. Pulling out the sonic pen, Rose listened at the small door for any movement on the other side, but everything was quiet. She carefully used the sonic pen to unlatch the door and eased it open.

Engineering was several levels tall with catwalks overhead connecting different machines. Everything was padded in case of a gravity failure with handholds scattered around like in the corridors. Large machines in the centre of the room glowed a soft blue that filled the large space and Rose grinned at the sight of the newest clean technology. They were already working on making it smaller and easier to build for use on Earth. A venting system pumped the heat generated by the engine out into space which also limited how much use it was on Earth.

Rows of control stations surrounded the engines, forming a semi-circle of sleek desk like objects with screens attached to them. Most of them were designed for standing with touchscreen and buttons mixed together on the flat surfaces. Rose could see charts and meters counting off in the distance, but wasn't sure what was what. It was beautiful to her computer science brain and vaguely familiar and alien at the same time.

The sound of footfalls coming near her made Rose tense. They were close and judging by how the noise managed to be heard over the hum of the engines it was heavy combat boots. Rose exhaled slowly as she pressed herself against the wall. Her heartbeat was echoing in her ears and she wondered if this ever became easy. The waiting and the uncertainty as you braced yourself for what might happen. She dared not close her eyes but allowed herself another slow breath as the sound of footfalls came closer and closer. Then the long barrel of an automatic appeared in the corner of her vision as one of the Eclipse operatives stepped around the corner.

Grabbing the side of the firearm, Rose positioned it so it faced away from her and brought a knee up sharply into the soldier's gut. There was a huff as the air was forced from him and a groan. The mask on his face shifted just enough to reveal a little bit of brown hair before Rose brought her elbow down on the side of his temple. There was another groan as his weight went completely limp of her. Rose grunted as she caught the dead weight and laid him back against the wall. Pushing aside the high black collar, she felt the pulse and relaxed at the strong and steady beat.

She knelt down and peeked around the edge of the nearest machine. There were two others on their feet and another kneeling down at a set of controls with his weapon discarded to the side. Rose nibbled at her bottom lip as she tried to think of how best to deal with this. They were close to the main engines which were alien technology. Hopefully, they wouldn't want to risk opening fire in here. They'd avoided direct conflict with UNIT thus far after all.

Rose tried to study what they were doing, but they were too far away for her to be certain of what was going on. Licking her lips, she glanced back towards the service access and debated for a moment. She was shifting back towards it when the edge of her boot hit one of the machines. Somehow the sound managed to be a bit too loud and one of the soldiers looked in her direction.

Shifting back behind the machine, Rose tried to stay completely still as they marched over. In the corner of her eye, she saw a figure coming around the control machine. Lashing out a foot, Rose tripped the soldier who stumbled into another set of control. She jumped up and grabbed the firearm with both hands before smashing her elbow up into their face. They staggered for a moment before dropping to the floor. The other two were fully alert and moving towards her. With the firearm still in hand, Rose yelped and dodged around another machine, hoping that they'd hesitate to shoot.

"Need some help in here!" Rose shouted, hoping her voice would carry over the machines.

The footfalls stopped for a moment. Her call had probably surprised and worried them. One of them started coming closer while the other drew back. Rose shifted along the bottom of the control station, feeling her way as she kept her eyes scanning the area. Someone was coming closer. Behind her, the controls changed to a desk and she was able to draw back under it. Tucking her feet under her, Rose changed her position so she was poised on the tips of her toes. The slow footfalls came near and she could just see the toes of heavy combat boots. Then they kept moving past her and she let out a soft sigh of relief.

Crawling out behind them, Rose heard shouting from the main door but jumped up before the soldier could turn. She wrapped an arm tightly around their neck and let her weight hang on his back as she squeezed his windpipe. Her back hit the wall and Rose grunted as the soldier tried to shake her off. She kept her grip and forced the pain aside. In the corner of her eye, she could see the other soldier dropping to the ground as a pair of shots echoed in the air. There was a clatter as the soldier she was attacking finally dropped his weapon and brought a hand up to try and disengage her. Two UNIT soldier rushed into the room. The female private saw her and rushed over, raising her firearm and yelling for the soldier to stop moving.

He stopped moving, but Rose didn't ease her grip, using his distraction to push her feet off the wall behind them and gain more leverage. The soldier began to sink to the ground and Rose let herself follow him down, catching herself only at the last minute. As his eyes shut and he slumped with a groan, Rose let go and straightened up.

"That wasn't too bad," she announced, earning a look from one of the private.

"Secure the prisoners," the sergeant snapped, directing the others towards them.

"Is there a brig onboard?" Rose questioned in surprise.

"Yes, just in case," the sergeant half sighed in relief and disgust. "You alright Agent Thorn?"

"I'll be fine," Rose promised. "Secure them and see if you can't take back the other engineering level. We need to get things working again."

"Yes Agent Tyler," they agreed, giving her a quick salute before moving off, leaving Rose to sigh to herself alone.

She turned her attention to the main problems and walked over towards the section where the soldiers had been working. Engineering was a mess and she quickly lost track of time as she took stock of the damage. Covers of machines had been torn open with wires pulled out in places and connected to others. Rose was working her way around the curving set of controls, folding wires back into place and trying to sort out what could be saved when she spotted a small machine free standing on the edge of the controls.

Abandoning her current project, Rose moved over to it and groaned as she noticed the lens on the front. It was some sort of camera that was humming softly. Anger surged up in her and while it was probably far too late, she quickly opened the top of the device and tugged on the nearest large wire. The hum weakened before vanishing, but it was far too large to be a regular camera. Sh tensed as someone walked over to her, but looked over to find the sergeant watching her calmly.

"I think they got what they wanted," Rose sighed to the sergeant as he joined her. "I need to let Kate know."

"Intercom is right there ma'am," he replied quickly, pointing at one of the nearby controls.

"Main engine room to bridge," Rose called as she pressed the button the sergeant had indicated. "Kate this is Rose." She wasn't sure what the right way to do this way, but Star Trek seemed like a good thing to copy.

"Rose, good you're alright," Kate replied in relief.

"They were recording the machines," Rose informed Kate as she leaned over the intercom. "Tore out some stuff, probably trying to stay in control, but it looks like the point was to send information to their people on Earth."

"Bugger," Kate hissed. "Well, we've extracted the suicide molars from two of them so we'll at least have prisoners this time."

Rose wondered if it was bad that she didn't feel concerned about them being kept as prisoners. Probably, but she remembered too clearly the attack by Black Sun that had killed several UNIT officers years ago and the way that Eclipse seemed all too happy to send their people to die.

"I'll send a couple people down to help deal with the situation," Kate continued.

"Kate things down here are a mess," Rose informed her, looking around. "They ripped open maybe a third of the control panels." She turned and checked the main engine. "The engine looks okay, but if you can get control from up there then you need to keep it."

"Understood," Kate answered a moment later. "The Doctor is shifting things back to the main engine room. Hold on, our course is about to change."

Behind Rose, the engine hummed a little louder. There was a strange crackling sound overhead that made her flinch and look up. The entire chamber echoed with strange sounds as the floor slowly shifted beneath them.

"Kate?"

"We're moving out of the orbital plane," Kate informed them. "We're clear of the asteroids."

"Alright good," Rose sighed in relief. "That's good."

Then there was a beeping sound echoing through the bridge controls that made Rose straighten up. Two computer screens down, something began to flash and Rose looked between the intercom and it. Releasing the intercom button, she gestured for the sergeant to take her place and moved over to check the screen. A series of bars on a chart were beginning to change though Rose wasn't sure what they were for. Overhead the lights in the engine room began to flicker, making Rose look up in alarm.

"Oh Guardians, what now?"


	36. Dangerous Enterprise: Instincts

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty-Six: Dangerous Enterprise: Instincts

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

A lot of thoughts ran through Rose's head as the ship's temperature began to drop and the lights flickered. She wondered if they had activated a self-destruct or set off explosives somewhere in the ship. Yet things were quiet, almost too quiet as she heard the thrum of the engine behind her and almost nothing else. No this was something else, she reassured herself though she wasn't sure how much that actually calmed her down.

"Rose!" the Doctor's voice suddenly called through the intercom. "Where are you?"

"Uh the engine and navigation engineering level," Rose answered with a hint of confusion. "What do you need Doctor? What's happening?"

The lights overhead flickered and Rose glanced up at them with a frown. The nearby charts were changing quickly and the room was beginning to get colder. A suspicion about what was happening was growing in her bones as a tiny little voice in the back of her head started to whisper. It was a familiar feeling from her life in the other world, but unwelcome and uncomfortable so she pushed it aside to focus on the Doctor.

"Rose listen to me. They are shutting down the life support systems. We have turned some of the auxiliary systems on, but there's interference. I can't get the heat to do more than intermediate blasts and the lights aren't getting enough power."

There was some fear in his voice. A tone of real frustration and worry that made Rose pause and look at the screens. Now understanding what it all meant, Rose tensed as she watched the temperature mark dropping.

"Doctor, what do you have control of?"

"Oxygen and gravity have been switched to auxiliary, but they're manually controlling the shutdown according to docking procedures so that it doesn't trigger the auxiliary turning on. These are a suicide team so it doesn't matter if they die."

"Great," Rose groaned, trying to ignore the chill beginning to spread over her skin. "Just great." She took a slow breath to calm down. "Should I head to life support or auxiliary?"

"Go to auxiliary," the Doctor answered quickly. "We need to get things working there." A frustrated sigh came through the intercom. "This ship wasn't as ready for launch as they thought."

"This was supposed to be a calm trial run," Kate's voice reminded them both in the background, but Rose was already moving towards the door.

Following the maps on the wall, Rose kept running even as the lights overhead flickers and the temperature kept dropping. She shivered but did her best to ignore her knowledge that heat was seeping out of the ship faster than the damaged systems could keep up with. Part of her wanted to run back to the TARDIS. The question of why the Doctor was trying so hard was pounding in her skull. What was going to happen with this ship in the future? He hadn't confirmed it was a fixed point in time, but then again it could be a fixed point in their own timelines. If he remembered something that would happen on the ship then that might explain it.

Overhead the lights flickered again, but the power kept them from going out completely. Small backup lights along the edge of the corridor were now on and blinking softly so Rose could follow them. Her mind of racing. It was too quiet without the Doctor's voice or any sounds of other people. Rose headed down a staircase nervously, mindful of the dark and worried about the gravity failing. None the less she made it into the lower decks without injury.

The auxiliary control room was smaller and more compact than the main engineering level. There was a massive generator in the centre of the room, casting a soft blue glow throughout the space which was lucky as the lights kept flickering. Panels ran across one side of the room with several of them already dark. There was a row of controls with flashing screens and code running across them. She could see orders coming down from the bridge as they tried to get as much of the system working as possible. It only took her a moment to spot the intercom device and the button.

Pressing it, Rose called out, "Doctor I'm in auxiliary."

"How does it look?"

"Everything seems to be intact," Rose answered as she looked around again. "Nothing is torn open. They didn't get down here."

"We've still got them pinned down in life support," Kate's voice told her from the background. "So you should be safe down there."

"The generator behind me is working," Rose told him. "But a lot down here is switched off."

"Auxiliary activates when the other systems go down, but Eclipse meddled with the trigger systems," the Doctor explained. "You'll need to manually switch things on."

"What will you be doing?" Rose questioned as she turned her attention to the nearest set of panels.

"Keeping us out of the orbital plane and making sure that the systems connect as you turn things on," the Doctor answered with a hint of frustration in his voice.

"Why are you so worried?" Rose asked, glancing towards the intercom. "I mean we have the TARDIS."

"You need this ship," the Doctor answered in a tight voice. "Just…. Trust me on this Rose. We need to save the _Enterprise_ and get it back to Earth."

That confirmed that something was going to happen with the ship later now. "Okay," she sighed. "Where do I start?"

"Far side of the room, you're looking for climate control," the Doctor informed her.

Nodding, Rose left the intercom and scanned the various panels. Small plaques above them labelled everything and at the far end she found a dark panel marked 'climate control.' Fancy name for thermostat a voice that sounded a lot like her mother pointed out. Pushing aside the voice, Rose scanned the panel. It was a large metal sheet with dark screens mixed with lots of buttons and levers. For a moment Rose was nervous, but she brought her hand up slowly and pressed a blue button that seemed to be calling to her.

Rose wasn't fully aware of what she doing. Her fingers were moving almost on their own over the wiring. In the back of her mind was a comforting hum of confidence and a barely audible ramble of technical terms that she only understood half of. The machines began to thrum beneath her fingertips. She moved down the row of panels, pressing buttons and watching as the small blank screens flared to life.

"Adjusting climate controls now Doctor," Rose announced, her voice quivering a tiny bit in her own surprise.

"Good girl," the Doctor called through the intercom. There was a jumble of noise of the other end and Rose heard him shout a bunch of technobabble at the others.

Her fingers kept pressing certain buttons and ignoring others as she moved down to the lighting and gravity panels. Rose was noticing a pattern in the controls now that she hadn't earlier. Some of the terms were making more sense and the soft whisper at the back of her mind was louder. A slight headache was building at the front of her head, but Rose ruthlessly ignored it. Over her head, the lights stopped flickering and she could feel the room getting warmer.

"Switching gravity control to auxiliary," the Doctor's voice called over the intercom. "Oh don't even try that," the Doctor muttered, "Won't work."

The statement was probably directed at the Eclipse agents in the main Life Support level, but it still made Rose smile. She shifted over to the main controls and scanned the readings. Gravity was holding at normal and the temperature was stabilising. It was still chilly, but no one would be freezing to death. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Rose looked carefully at the controls and smiled to herself as she mentally catalogued them.

"Rose you've got in darling," the Doctor's voice suddenly called and she blushed a bit at the very public endearment. "Come back up to the bridge."

"Are you sure?" Rose asked, looking nervously towards the door.

"Yes," the Doctor answered. "Please come back here."

There was a hint of worry in his voice and Rose nodded before she realised he couldn't see her. "Alright," she assured him. "On my way."

…...

The bridge doors opened and Rose let out a sigh of relief as her eyes landed on the TARDIS; it still standing near the 3D display with soft light pouring out of the top windows. Crewmembers were sitting down at their stations again and while the tensions was not completely gone it had definitely eased. Stepping inside, Rose offered a smile to Tosh who looked over at her with clear relief.

"You alright Rose?" Malcolm asked, standing up from his station.

"Tired, but no injuries," Rose promised him with a smile.

"Ah Darling," the Doctor's voice cheered from the back service corridor. He tripped into view a moment later with a beaming smile. There were wires around his neck that Rose wasn't sure were supposed to be there, but none the less he crossed over to her. "Alright?"

"I'm fine," Rose replied patiently with a soft smile. He took her hand, entangling their fingers and giving her a warm smile. Rose returned the smile, falling into his green eyes for a long moment.

"We've gotten into Life Support Engineering," Kate informed them as she moved to join them drawing Rose's attention away from the Doctor. "But they were all already dead by their suicide pills by the looks of things."

"Not surprising at this point," the Doctor sighed. "Either they figured they'd done enough damage to the computer system and controls that we'd die too or they didn't want more prisoners."

"Well we have a few for questioning," Kate reminded him though she didn't look happy. "I doubt we'll learn much from them."

"Probably not," the Doctor agreed, shifting uncomfortably and swallowing. Then he clapped his hands and put a bright smile on. "But you've got your ship working. It'll need a few repairs and I'd personally recommend lessening the trigger threshold for the auxiliary systems."

"Under normal circumstances, there would be a crew present in all three engine rooms," Kate pointed out with a small grimace. "We never should have left Earth with so few people."

"Yes well… I won't argue with you there," the Doctor murmured, once again looking uncomfortable.

"Someone planned this," Kate announced, watching his face. "Lovely, as if there haven't been enough traitors in the past between Adams and Karim."

Rose and the Doctor exchanged an uncomfortable look, but Kate sighed and straightened up. Extending her hand to the Doctor she offered him a smile. "Thank you, Doctor, I appreciate you coming to our aide."

"You're welcome Kate," the Doctor replied, taking her hand with both of his and giving her a warm look. "Try to stay out of trouble. Give my love to your father."

"I will," Kate promised. "But I'm sure he'd like a visit from you."

"Soon," the Doctor assured her and for a moment Rose thought he was going to say something else, but then he released Kate's hand and gestured at the TARDIS. "A moment Darling?"

Nodding, Rose followed him into the TARDIS and let the door fall closed behind her. She paused and looked around in surprise. The bright bronze and glass console room had been replaced with a darker sleek room. Above the console column were three layers of something with circular Gallifreyan. Two additional sets of controls had been added and curved around part of the railing on opposite sides of the consoles. It was different, but not a bad different. As she walked further in after the Doctor low blue lights brightened and the roundels on the wall lit up with rings of red and blue.

"You changed the TARDIS again," Rose observed.

"Oh," the Doctor realised as he looked around. "Yeah not too long ago. That's another desktop you apparently saw long in advance." He sighed dramatically and shook his head.

"Well she's gorgeous as ever," Rose told her cheerfully, reaching out and gently brushing the edge of the console. Brushing back a loose strand of hair, Rose gave the Doctor a smile. "What did you want to talk about?"

The Doctor smiled back at her and cross the console room, wrapping an arm around her. Grinning, Rose turned her face up towards his own just as he lowered his face to kiss her. A delighted shiver passed through Rose and she brought her hands up to grip his shoulders. The kiss was slow and sweet, sending pleasant shudders down Rose's spine as the Doctor traced the curve of her back.

"Mission accomplished," the Doctor breathed when he released her lips and let Rose take a deep breath. "That wasn't too bad."

"So _Enterprise_ is going to be okay?" Rose questioned in what she hoped was a light voice even as she let the Doctor's arms keep her upright. "Whatever it is needed for in the future is still on track?"

"Yes," the Doctor agreed, still holding her against him. "You were brilliant Rose, absolutely brilliant rebooting the systems."

"To be honest I'm not even sure what all I did," Rose admitted with a soft chuckle. "My hands just seemed to know."

"Well our theory is that you were an engineer on a spaceship in one of your other lives," the Doctor informed her, not looking at all surprised. "You've mentioned occasional dreams about spaceships. By my time you're very good at TARDIS maintenance."

"You trust me with the TARDIS?" Rose gasped with a brilliant grin. "Really? I get to help you take care of her?!"

"Course, you were a fast study once I started showing you everything," the Doctor paused and shook his head. "Besides she adores you. And I'm pretty sure that shared property is part of most marriages work even if we know that she isn't really property."

The words warmed Rose and greatly pleased her though she wondered just how she'd managed to win the TARDIS over so much. From her understanding, the other companions had never interacted with her on a very personal level. Tegan still gave her a doubtful look whenever Rose insisted that the TARDIS was sentient. The reminder from this Doctor that someday they'd be married sent another pleasant shiver down her spine.

"Looking forward to that then," Rose murmured softly. She closed her eyes and leaned against the Doctor. "I miss you," she confessed as she listened to his dual hearts beat in his chest. "I got used to seeing you a lot."

"I know and I'll feel a little bad for that I promise," the Doctor chuckled, massaging her back lightly with one hand. "Wasn't trying to disappear, but-"

"Your Rose came home," Rose finished gently. "It's strange to think about but I get it." She looked up at him again. "Besides its reassuring to know that things will turn out okay. I just have to stay calm and focus on getting home."

The Doctor looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Rose figured her disappearance wasn't that simple, but then again how could it have been. Even the Doctor and TARDIS hadn't been able to find her. Still, she probably knew too much about her own personal future than was safe.

"I'm not sure what it says about the future that you're not worried about me having that future information, though," Rose teased, giving him a tongue on teeth smile. "Some Time Lord you are." She shifted her hand and brushed the small medallion hanging from his double Albert chain. A soft warm laugh escaped her as she realised the medallion had a small rose engraved on it. "Really Doctor," she teased, holding the medallion gently and looking up at him.

"It completes the outfit," the Doctor mumbled with a soft blush colouring his cheeks.

"I'm sure," Rose replied with a grin even as she raised an eyebrow at him.

The Doctor laughed, his green eyes brightening with amusement before he reached over and cupped her cheek. His thumb brushed over the skin of her cheek and he gave her a warm fond smile.

"Rose Tyler," he breathed, his affection filling the name.

Grinning up at him, Rose marvelled at how easily he put the bad things out of her mind just by saying her name. His thumb brushed over her lips and the Doctor's green eyes glinted just before he leaned down to kiss her. It was just a soft brush of lips for a moment before Rose sighed and let him deepen the kiss. Arms wrapped around each other and time slipped away from them. Then he slowly softened the kiss, untangling his hands from her hair and pulled away. Sighing softly at the loss, Rose opened her eyes suddenly unsure of when she'd closed them.

"I really need to stop snogging married men," Rose murmured she gently touched the golden wedding band on the Doctor's hand as she tried to catch her breath.

"Well you tease me about the foolishness of being jealous of my other selves," the Doctor remarked lightly. "You're always so happy to point out that you don't have that problem."

"I should hope not," Rose chuckled with a tongue on teeth smile. "It would be very foolish to marry a Time Lord and not accept temporal shenanigans." She leaned forward and kissed the Doctor quickly before she added more seriously. "Besides I hope that when I'm older I'll remember how much having you, all of you, in my life meant."

He beamed at her and Rose returned the smile. "Thank you," she offered after a moment. "For helping today and protecting the ship. I'm a bit surprised you didn't just tow us away in the first place, but thanks."

"Rose," the Doctor started to say only to pause with a nervous look.

"What Doctor?" Rose asked, fighting back a frown at his sudden discomfort.

"I love you," the Doctor told her firmly though Rose could sense something else in his voice. "Keep that in mind, always remember that."

"Somethings coming," Rose realised with a cold rush of worry, finally voicing the suspicion that had been growing. "Something you can't help me with."

"There are things…. Events that have to play out without outside interference."

"Wouldn't that include me?"

"No," the Doctor answered with a soft look. "You're still human. You have a right to be part of… well, what's coming." He cupped her jaw and kissed her forehead again. "Just know that I have faith in you and I'm sorry I can't come."

"Fixed point then," Rose sighed in understanding, raising her eyes to meet his. "I understand Doctor."

"Thank you."

The Doctor looked like he might say more, shifting uneasily and wringing his hands. Rose hadn't ever seen this body so agitated as he turned and opened the TARDIS. Turning back to her, he opened his mouth to say something more, but his eyes jumped to Kate. He shook his head, gave Rose one more smile and then vanished into the TARDIS. A few moments later the familiar wheezing sound and a soft breeze filled the bridge as the ship vanished. Everything was quiet and still.

"Well," Kate said slowly, standing tall and letting out a soft sigh of relief. "Not as smooth as we all wanted, but everyone is safe. Those that were injured will be alright and are in the infirmary." There were nods around the bridge and Rose could see. "I think the _Enterprise_ has had enough for her maiden trip, let's go home."

"She called it _Enterprise_!" Malcolm cheered, fist pumping the air only to realise that everyone was looking at him. He blushed but kept grinning. "That makes it official now!"

A long suffering sigh escaped Kate, but she smiled. She nodded to one of the technicians who made changes to their course. The Enterprise began to turn back towards Earth and the engines roared to life, sending a powerful shudder through the ship. Rose moved over to one of the chairs and sank into it, wondering just what had the Doctor so worried and what part _Enterprise_ was supposed to play in future events and how soon.

…Next Time….

"What is it, Spock?" Rose asked as the entire screen of her laptop changed.

"Rose reports are pouring in from all across Europe of a strange occurrence at nine forty this morning," Spock told her though there was a strange hint to his voice. "Children, every child it seems, stopped at the same time." Rose straightened up and frowned, remembering the sight of the mother and her son early this morning. "Reports indicate seventeen traffic accidents due to children stopping in the middle of the road in Europe. The Americas were asleep, but I'm finding a few unusual reports from them. Also, indications that it happened throughout Asia, Africa and Australia."

"All at the same time?" Rose asked uneasily.

"Yes, Rose…" Spock hesitated. "Skye was one of them."


	37. Children of Earth: Day One

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Children of Earth: Day One

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose Marion Tyler was walking down the streets of Cambridge with her mobile in one hand and a bag of groceries from the nearby Tescos in the other. It was a chilly March morning despite the sun peeking out from behind the clouds, but that wasn't stopping the locals from being out and about. As she sent another text to Shareen a woman up ahead was talking at her son. The boy, probably about ten, was standing completely motionless in front of an ATM.

"Thomas, come on," his mother huffed impatiently. "What are you doing?"

Rose stopped to watch, frowning at the blank look on the boy's face. His mother's impatience was giving way to a bit of panic. Then the boy blinked and looked up at his mother, looking surprised at the odd expression on her face.

"What was that about Thomas?"

"What was what Mum?"

"Oh never mind, come on," the woman sighed, grabbing her son's hand and pulling him along after her.

Shaking her head, Rose sent another text to Shareen and headed into her building. For a moment she hesitated on the stairs, feeling as if someone's eyes were on her before pushing the feeling away and reentering her flat. Everything was in place, but Rose still felt a touch on edge. She busied herself putting away the groceries before turning her attention to a paper that was due in a couple of weeks.

Rose was partway through the outline when her computer screen flashed. The small icon that indicated Spock was contacting her enlarged and Rose set the cup of tea she'd been sipping on to the side.

"What is it, Spock?" Rose asked as the entire screen of her laptop changed.

"Rose reports are pouring in from all across Europe of a strange occurrence at nine forty this morning," Spock told her though there was a strange hint to his voice. "Children, every child it seems, stopped at the same time." Rose straightened up and frowned, remembering the sight of the mother and her son early this morning. "Reports indicate seventeen traffic accidents due to children stopping in the middle of the road in Europe. The Americas were asleep, but I'm finding a few unusual reports from them. Also, indications that it happened throughout Asia, Africa, and Australia."

"All at the same time?" Rose asked uneasily.

"Yes, Rose…" Spock hesitated. "Skye was one of them."

"Is she alright?" Rose demanded, her stomach turning over at the idea of something happening to her goddaughter.

"She is, but Sarah Jane kept her home today along with Luke. I've been running scans on her. That was why I was delayed in informing you of the event. My apologies. I barely noticed the pattern myself."

"Skye is alright isn't she?" Rose demanded, leaning forward. "And the other children?"

"So far no indications of any injury to the children outside of the accidents I mentioned," Spock assured her. "Luke was not affected and Skye was in the upper ages of those who were affected. Based on that information it seems to be tied to puberty." Spock paused for a moment. "UNIT just went to yellow alert and Torchwood just ordered all of their employees in for the day, even those on holiday."

"Torchwood, lovely," Rose muttered. "Any thoughts on the origin?"

"I was distracted by Skye and did not complete a full sensor sweep of the outer atmosphere. Should it occur again I will do so." There was another pause and the screen changed. "UNIT Washington just ordered discreet tests on a group of children: blood work and brain scans."

"Smart," Rose agreed. "Well… keep an eye on Skye and what the others are doing."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll come down to London," Rose answered as she stood from the laptop. "Children all across the world, this is definitely alien. The question is if it is hostile or just a side effect of something."

"I will keep an eye on any UNIT and Torchwood communications," Spock promised as Rose scooped up her coat.

"Good and let Sarah Jane know that I'm on my way."

Rose didn't both emailing Ian that she'd be missing class. Over the last three and a half years she'd been pretty good at making it to every class even with alien emergencies occurring. She doubted that she'd be in too much trouble under the circumstances. Grabbing her things and pulling her long hair into a ponytail, Rose rushed out of her flat and headed for her SUV. As she climbing in, Rose swore that she could feel eyes on her again and shuddered. She glanced over her shoulder as she locked the SUV. There were a few people about, but none of them seemed to be watching her. Shaking her head, Rose forced herself to focus on driving and headed for the road towards London.

…..

Bannerman Road looked the same as ever. The last of the Christmas decorations were finally gone. It seemed as if it had taken forever to get back to London and Rose was regretting not just taking the train. Despite the wait, she would have probably been here half an hour earlier at least. Not bothering to stop at her own house, Rose drove up into Sarah Jane's drive and parked. Both Sarah Jane and Johnny's cars were present.

Everything seemed calm and normal, but there was an underlying sense of wrongness hanging in the air. She glanced towards her own house, but there was no sign of her mum. Rose was a bit grateful for that and hoped that Jackie had a shift at the flower shop today to keep her busy. Walking up to the door of the Chesterton-Smith home Rose didn't even bother knocking and headed inside. There was a pile of school bags that had been discarded by the door near the jackets and Rose swallowed at the reminder that some children had been killed on their way to school. For an overwhelming moment, she felt grateful that Skye hadn't been one of them.

"It's Rose," she called out in greeting as she headed further into the house.

Everyone was sitting in the living room around a tea service on the coffee table. Skye was seated snugly between her parents and looking torn between pleasure and confusion. The young girl looked up at her and brightened up. Next to her, a look of relief took over Sarah Jane's face and Rose saw Johnny adjust his arm so he could put a hand on her shoulder.

"Rose!" Rani greeted, jumping up from one of the chairs and walking over to hug her.

Accepting the embrace, Rose managed a small smile for the teenager before turning her attention back to the others. Luke came over and hugged and Skye jumped to her feet, rushing over and nearly knocking Rose down.

"Hi there," Rose laughed, patting Skye's head and smiling at the young girl. "I'm glad to see all of you."

"Thank you for coming," Sarah Jane breathed as she moved to join them. She touched Skye's head and nodded back toward Johnny. Skye rolled her eyes and huffed, but returned to the sofa to sit down. "Nothing strange has happened since this morning."

"It was really weird," Clyde told her, shaking his head and looking uneasy.

"Don't you have classes?" Rose asked Clyde and Rani. "I understand Luke, but your dad is going to go mental Rani."

"I need to be here with Skye," Rani announced firmly, her voice so strong and even that all thoughts of arguing fled Rose's mind.

"Yeah, and same to you," Clyde pointed out.

"University isn't as strict," Rose reminded him with a slight smile. "So anything new from Spock's scans?"

"Nothing yet," Sarah Jane told her. "He's watching UNIT, Section 13 and Torchwood to see what they're doing. All of them have noticed the pattern, but so far no one has any information." Sarah Jane shook her head helplessly.

"I see," Rose murmured as she looked into the living room where a depressed looking Skye was still sitting on the couch. "I take it you told her what happened?"

"I did," Sarah Jane admitted. "Couldn't lie to her." Sarah Jane's expression saddened as she watched her daughter. "Let's go down to the park," Sarah Jane suggested earning her surprised looks. She leaned towards Rose and softly added, "Skye knows we're worried and has been feeling cooped up today. Maybe some fresh air will help things."

Rose doubted that there was anything in the outside air that would solve this riddle, but understood that Sarah Jane couldn't just sit at home wondering what was going on.

"Okay," Rose agreed with a small nod. "Spock can call us easily enough."

"It's about lunch time," Rani pointed out. "The park by the school has that sandwich shop."

"Sounds good," Skye offered from her place on the sofa. "Please, Mum?"

"Skye just can't handle staying inside," Sarah Jane sighed with a tiny hint of a smile.

"I'll be right behind you," Rose promised as she moved towards the stairs. "Just want to check something with Spock."

Sarah Jane nodded and forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Rose's stomach turned nervously and she headed up the stairs while the sounds of the others in the entry way drifted up towards her. In the attic she found Spock working on a scan on the solar system. K-9 was next to him with a cable connecting them. For once the two computers weren't fighting.

"Anything yet?" Rose questioned as she moved forward.

"I detected something in the area shortly after we spoke," Spock informed her. "But I've been able to lock onto its position."

"How close?"

"It seemed to be at the edge of the solar system, but some kind of signal is reaching us now," Spock answered in a slightly aggravated voice. "But it was very brief and I couldn't maintain a read on it."

"So you think we have a ship coming or passing us by?"

"Indeed," Spock agreed.

"Any chance that what happened was an accident?"

"It is possible Mistress Rose," K-9 offered in his mechanical voice. "Telepathic interface may have malfunctioned."

"We simply don't know enough yet Rose to tell you if this is a threat or not," Spock told her carefully. "We are monitoring the situation and will keep you informed."

The words didn't make Rose feel much better. Nibbling at her bottom lip for a moment, she fought not to pace and announced, "Keep an eye out for Eclipse mentions too. For all we know this could be something they're working on. We already know that they are willing to destroy cities."

"We will do so," Spock promised and Rose unclenched her sore fingers.

"Well alright then, uh talk to you later," Rose told them as she turned and headed to the door.

She paused one more time to look back at them before shaking her head. There wasn't enough information to worry yet, but she couldn't help but remember how the Doctor had looked at her last time she'd seen him. His vague warning that something was coming he couldn't help with rang in her head even as Rose headed out of the house to catch up with the others.

…..

The park was small but had a nice playground area surrounded by a short fence complete with woodchips. Everything was still brown from the winter, but Rose thought she could see a few hints of green beginning to appear in the grass as they sat down at a picnic table with their sandwiches. Skye was already eying the swing set which had only one young child on it being pushed by their mum. There were about ten other children playing on the equipment with their parents watching from nearby.

"Can I go on the swings when we're done?" Skye asked, sounding every bit her only a couple of months old. "Please, Mum?"

"You may," Sarah Jane agreed. "But eat first. Then you can play a bit before we go home and have Spock check you again."

Skye pouted a bit at the last words and Rose could tell that the young girl was already dismissing what had happened. None the less the girl inhaled her sandwich and rushed over to one of the empty swings. Johnny finished his quickly and went over to his daughter, lingering near the edge of the playground.

"Did you notice anything strange before it happened?" Rose asked gently before taking a sip of her drink.

"Nothing," Sarah Jane answered with a shake of her head. "Everything was normal Rose. She and Luke were running a bit late, Clyde was calling for them outside and then she just stopped." Sarah Jane shivered at the memory, her eyes locking on Skye across the grass. "Her eyes were glassy and she didn't react to anything at all. Then it was over and she just started moving again, completely unaware that anything had happened at all."

"Let's hope it was just something passing us by," Rose suggested, offering Sarah Jane a gentle smile. "She seems okay now."

"I'm still worried," Sarah Jane confessed. "Skye was one of the older children it happened to. She's twelve, right on the cusp of puberty and her brain and body chemistry is already a little strange as it is. What if-"

"You know asking that question won't help Sarah Jane," Rose cut in quickly, reaching over and squeezing her friend's hand. "Spock in monitoring the skies and if that signal is sent out again then we'll sort things out."

There was a twinge in her head like a tiny electric shock. Rose shuddered and looked around in confusion. A pressure of some kind of building and creeping across her scalp. It was familiar she realised from when Apep had tried to get into her mind.

Then as if summoned by her positive words children all across the playground and park suddenly stopped moving. Clyde also ran over Skye, falling to the side to avoid running into the girl. Sarah Jane gasped and jumped up from the park bench, moving towards Skye who almost fell out of the swing. Then all the children started to scream as one. Pulling out her phone, Rose tried to ignore the deafening shriek and started her camera recording a nearby group of children, desperate to find some clue.

"We. We. We. We. We. We. We. We," the children began chanting.

"Whoa!" Clyde gasped, dropping down next to Skye. "What's going on?"

"It's all of them!" Rani cried out, spinning to look around the park. "Every signal one."

"We are. We are. We are. We are. We are coming. We are coming," the voice chanted together.

"Skye!" Sarah Jane called frantically to her daughter.

"We are coming. We are coming. We are coming."


	38. Children of Earth: Timothy White

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Children of Earth: Timothy White

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…..

It was all over the news when they returned to Bannerman Road and rushed Skye up the stairs to Spock. Clyde, Rani and Luke all pulled out their laptops and began running searches while Spock scanned Skye once again. Yet the girl still seemed confused about what had occurred. Rose waited by the doorway as Sarah Jane placed Skye in front of Spock and waited for the evitable question. Pulling out her phone, she ran a thumb over the side of it and tried not to let the worry build up too much.

"Can you call the Doctor?" Sarah Jane asked, coming over to her once the scan had started. "He should be here for this."

"He can't come," Rose answered sadly. "Not this time."

"What?" Sarah Jane gasped. "Why not?"

"He said that something was coming, something that that has to play out in human hands." Rose licked her lips and swallowed thickly. "I think it's a fixed event. Something that will always happen. He's told me about them," she added in a rush. "They help keep the fabric of time stable and keep it all from collapsing." She looked towards Skye who was trying to stay still for Spock. "If he could come then I'm sure he would."

"But-"

"Sarah Jane," Rose breathed. "I won't call him for help when he can't give it, that would… torture him. You know how much he loves this planet. Loves you."

The look on Sarah Jane's face was hard to look at. There was anger, disbelief, fear and worst of all resignation. Rose lowered her eyes and looked down at her phone as she tried to gather her thoughts. Maybe this wasn't the event the Doctor had been talking about, but every instinct in her gut said it was. Because Sarah Jane was right: under normal circumstances, the Doctor would surely be here. Earth was his favourite planet, almost his home away from the TARDIS and valued children. But he wasn't, couldn't be here. She needed to focus and be the Defender of Earth that her planet needed right now, with or without him.

"Okay," Rose breathed, slipping her phone away. She caught Sarah Jane's eyes lingering on it and knew that Sarah Jane's desire to have the Doctor here was far from over. "Information search," she announced to the others, watching the teenagers pull out their laptops. "We need to confirm that this latest event happened across the world. Start looking for anything that doesn't fit while Spock processes Skye's scan."

"Something that doesn't fit?" Clyde repeated doubtfully. "Rose children across the globe as chanting as one, that doesn't fit."

"Clyde just… let's accept that and move on. If that is the normal of this situation then what isn't." She paused and forced a small smile. "There is always something. Always some little detail that betrays the great whole and leaves a hint."

Her words earned her a doubtful expression, but Rani, Clyde and Luke nodded in agreement. Johnny lingered by Skye, talking to her in a soft voice while Spock scanned her. Sarah Jane went over to her own computer, muttering something about her contacts.

Rubbing the back of her neck, Rose picked up her laptop bag and sat in one of the old side chairs to the right of Spock. She kept glancing towards Spock and Skye nervously. Her phone rang and she pulled it out, feeling ill when Jo's name appeared. Not daring to look at Sarah Jane, Rose went out to the landing once again.

"Hello Jo," she greeted tiredly. "I'm sorry but this is a fixed point in time. He can't interfere," Rose explained quickly before Jo could say anything.

"Rose my grandchildren-"

"I know," Rose answered, closing her eyes and fighting not to cry. "Skye's been affected too, but the Doctor warned me that this is on humans."

"Everyone is panicking," Jo argued.

"Then this is the day when humans finally accept that aliens are out there," Rose offered weakly. "I'll keep you informed Jo. So far Spock hasn't found any sign that the signal is hurting Skye. Your grandkids will be fine."

It felt like a dangerous promise, but Rose made it anyway before she ended the call and breathed out slowly. Shifting her phone, Rose prepared a long message on the situation and sent it out to the rest of the Companion Club along with a promise to keep them informed as she could. She hoped it would keep them from calling. Sighing, Rose kept her phone out and tried to gather her thoughts.

Her brain was a mess of worry and different theories that she couldn't help but start forming despite lacking too much information. Looking down at her phone, she scrolled through the contact list and looked at the TARDIS number. Rather than the usual black print, it was greyed out which made her frown and then sigh.

"Okay then," Rose groaned. "This is it then. Don't worry beautiful I won't call him," she promised the TARDIS despite being fairly certain that the wondrous time machine couldn't actually hear her. "At least that answers that question," Rose murmured as she moved to put her phone away.

Then it rang again and Rose grimaced, considering just letting it go to voicemail. However, she dutifully pulled the phone out and looked at the caller ID. It was Kate's UNIT number and Rose quickly brought the phone up to her ear.

"Hello this is Tyler," she greeted, just in case it wasn't actually Kate.

"Rose, Kate," she greeted sharply. "I suspect I don't have to tell you what is happening."

"Probably not," Rose sighed. "Unless there is another crisis going on beyond children all over the world being affected by some unknown force."

"Thankfully not to my knowledge," Kate replied weakly. "Where are you?"

"In London," Rose told her as she glanced back into the attic. "Sarah Jane's house."

"So you're already working on it?"

"Of course," Rose assured her gently.

"Please tell me that you're got something."

"Sorry Kate," Rose sighed into the phone as leaned against the bannister of the landing. "We don't know anything more than you yet. Spock is detecting some sort of signal sweeping the Earth that is targeted to the biochemistry of those who haven't hit puberty yet, but no ship."

"The message was they are coming," Kate observed. "Does Spock have an estimate as to how far away it might be?"

"He's never seen a signal like this before," Rose answered sadly. "He's got nothing to base an estimate on. He's watching the edge of the system to keep an eye out, though. What about on your end?"

"We haven't got anything more than you," Kate replied tensely. "Tests on children have thus far come up negative. Whatever it is we can't pinpoint it, but so far it isn't harming the children at all." She paused and Rose heard someone talking in the background for a moment. "We've started moving some children down into a shielded bunker to see if we can find some material to block the signal, but until they send another message we won't know."

"Bugger," Rose breathed, rubbing at her eyes. "Anything from Section 13 or Torchwood?"

"Section 13 and UNIT US are teaming up on this one, full disclosure agreement and everything," Kate told her. "That's a positive at least and we're in communication with the Russians and Chinese. They don't know what's happening either but are working on their shelters using different materials. With any luck, we'll find something we can use to protect the children."

"And Torchwood," Rose pressed with a sinking feeling.

"Hartman isn't talking with us," Kate admitted with a defeated sigh. "And sadly our contacts in the British government indicate that there is something going on. We believe Torchwood may have information, but they aren't sharing."

"What about Harriet? Have you spoken with the Prime Minster?" Rose demanded, pacing on the landing. "She likes me and I've tried to warn her about Hartman."

"We haven't been able to get through to her office," Kate confessed. "It's chaos at the government level Rose. I'm afraid this is it. The one that finally makes humans acknowledge aliens."

"Okay, hopefully, Harriet will contact me or communication will clear up," Rose sighed, the worried feeling at the back of her mind growing. "I'll keep working with Spock from here and see what I can learn." Rose paused and swallowed. "Kate how is-"

"Gordon's too old to be affected," Kate answered her softly before giving a mirthless laugh. "Just entered Oxford, but James is just a toddler. He's one of the children that's been put in the shelter to see if we can protect them."

"I see," Rose groaned. "I'm sorry Kate. We'll do everything we can."

"I know," Kate told her. "Stay in touch and stay safe. If you find anything let us know."

"Will do," Rose promised before the call ended and she sighed. She gave herself a moment before turning her attention back the matter at hand. "Spock?" Rose called when she reentered the attic and found Skye sitting with her father on the second loveseat Sarah Jane had added a few weeks back. "Anything new?"

"Second scan is showing nothing of interest," Spock intoned with a hint of defeat. "However I am creating a special brain activity comparison from when Skye first came to Earth. While there are no major changes currently as the situation unfolds it may yield more information."

"Well in other news the world is on red alert," Sarah Jane announced from her computer. "Currently there is a discussion on cancelling school and keeping children home in case this happens again."

"Which would be safer," Rani agreed.

"But potentially crash the economy," Rose pointed out, rubbing her tired eyes. "With all parents trying to stay home and mind their kids with no idea of how long this will last, it could get bad fast. There isn't an easy solution to this without giving into panic."

"I suppose," Rani conceded with a sigh before looking back at her computer. "These videos are creepy," Rani muttered as she shuddered.

"Yeah and there's already hundreds of them online," Clyde added with a distasteful look. "From all around the world. All of them the same. Really creepy."

"Hold on," Rani called out suddenly. "You're right, all of them are basically the same. All the kids are speaking English. It's always 'we are coming' and in English." She turned her laptop around and showed them a video with a group of children. "Recorded in Chile and yet they're all speaking English."

"She's right," Clyde agreed a moment later. "This one is from Taiwan and it's in English." He frowned and looked up Rose. "They must figure that English is the dominant language."

"No English is third," Sarah Jane informed them with a frown as she stood up from her desk and moved over to them. "The various Chinese dialects have over a billion speakers. Spanish is the second most common."

"So why did they pick English then?" Clyde questioned as he looked around the room. "Maybe cause of all the television and movie or because England or America is where they're going."

Rose looked over at Sarah Jane who was gripping Skye's shoulder and had a worried, but thoughtful look on her face.

"Maybe," Rose said thoughtfully. "Or it might be something else, some kind of connection between them and Earth." She leaned over Clyde's shoulder and played the video again. "Listen to the accent. It's muted, but definitely an English accent. The connection is to England, not the United States or Australia."

"Does that mean they're coming here?" Clyde questioned.

"Maybe," Rose agreed carefully before looking up towards Spock. "Spock send a message to the Shadow Proclamation, make it from a passing concerned ship. Also, send a request for aid to the Durmino Empire and the Orthans just in case."

"You're that worried?" Clyde asked with a nervous frown.

"The Doctor told me that something big was coming and he couldn't interfere," Rose answered, clenching and unclenching her fists. "And kids are involved so yeah I'm worried." Rose licked her lips and paced for a moment before turning back towards Spock. "Spock, I need you to work on getting information from Torchwood. Try to keep them in the dark that you're looking, but UNIT thinks they know something about what is happening."

"Rose, I just found an anomaly," Spock announced as the screen changed and brought up a short video of an older man chanting the same words as the children.

"What is this?" Rose questioned, "What am I looking at?"

"This is Timothy White. He is a patient in a psychiatric ward at the Duke Of York Hospital, East Grinstead," Spock informed her. "A member of staff recorded this video and sent it to the local police. I do not believe it has yet been seen by the staff however due to the high levels of concerns being filed."

"But he's old," Clyde scoffed. "Why is he chanting too?"

"Excellent question," Rose breathed as she watched the looping video. "The aliens are sending a message in English and here's an English-speaking adult who is being affected by it. Where did you say he was?"

"East Grinstead," Spock repeated as he brought up a map. "Thirty miles to the south in Sussex."

"It's a lead," Rose announced. "Okay Spock, delete that video from the email server and if you can from the phone it was sent on. Send a message to the hospital that it was received and Rose Tyler of UNIT is coming to speak with Mr White." Rose paused and shifted nervously. "Try to keep it quiet and discreet. I want to talk to this buy before anyone else gets to him."

"And UNIT?"

"Send them an update in two hours," Rose answered as she looked at her phone and pulled up a map. "I'll hopefully be there then and that cuts down the risk of someone else making a run for this guy. Assure Kate that I'll let them know if I find anything."

"Be careful," Sarah Jane told her.

"I will be," Rose promised with a slight smile before she looked back at the screen. "Sarah Jane… maybe you should head to Cambridge," Rose suggested carefully. "People are violent when they get scared so maybe it would be best not to have Skye in London."

Sarah Jane exhaled slowly but nodded a little. "I'll speak with Barbara about a visit." She glanced towards Rani and Clyde. "I'll see if Clyde and Rani can come along."

There was an awkward moment of silence as the suggestion sank in. "You're that worried?" Clyde asked as he shifted in his seat.

"You remember when the aliens crashed in Big Ben right? There were riots and people died. This will be worse, this is slow and will build up and involves the children."

She didn't want to talk about it further and shared a pointed look with Sarah Jane and Johnny. They understood, she could tell that much. Then she turned and headed for the stairs, stopping just long enough to scope up her laptop and its bag. She might just need them.

…

The drive to East Grinstead took her just over an hour and a half with a little bit of speeding, but that wasn't going to be the priority of the bobbies today. The hospital proved a little harder to find, but at the two-hour mark, Rose was walking into the psychiatric ward with her UNIT ID in hand. There was a knot in her stomach and Rose hoped that nothing bad was happening in London. It struck her as odd that she hadn't heard from the Prime Minister yet. After all, Harriet Jones had personally seen her save the world twice.

"I'm Rose Tyler," she told one of the nurses as she held up her UNIT card. "Here about Timothy white."

"Thank goodness," the nurse breathed in relief. "We've been trying to keep him calm. I'm not sure how much he can really tell you, though."

"I understand," Rose assured her, trying to smile, but failing. "Thank you for alerting us." She paused and did her best to look calm and professional. "What can you tell me about him?"

The nurse motioned her over behind the desk. There was a small screen that showed an older man rocking back and forth in the corner, clearly aggravated. "Timothy White, fifty-two years old," the nurse answered with a helpless shrug. "He's been with us three months, but he's got a history of being in and out of care all his life."

"And when he isn't in care?" Rose pressed, glancing at the nurse who sighed sadly.

"He spent forty years living in Leeds. That's where he first came on record. Found homeless, living on the streets at the age of eleven."

"Eleven," Rose repeated in horror. She shuddered, remembering the terror of the Pied Piper when she'd been eleven, but that had only been a few days. Rose couldn't fathom trying to survive on your own at that age. "Poor thing."

"No one ever reported him missing. Apparently, though, he did have a Scottish accent back then. Gone now, but he was a long way lost."

Rose wasn't sure what to say, but her gut told her that something had happened to this poor man. Something terrible when he was eleven and unlike her, there hadn't been a rescue. She was escorted to a small visiting room with a table, two chairs and a camera. A few minutes later they brought Timothy in.

He had a pleasant sort of face, but stress and fear had left him with thick lines and dark bags beneath his eyes. His salt and pepper hair was short with a slight curl to it and he had a neatly groomed beard. Rose offered him a reassuring smile as he sat down.

"Hello Mr White," she greeted gently. "My name is Rose Tyler, I'm sorry to surprise you with this visit."

"It's alright," Timothy answered in a gruff voice like he wasn't used to talking. "Who are you?"

"I'm a civilian consultant for the Unified Intelligence Taskforce," Rose explained before carefully continuing. "I'm here because of earlier. Do you remember anything strange happening to you today?"

His eyes fixed on her and Rose knew that he did. "Can you remember the voice, Timothy? Something spoke through you today and said 'we are coming'. Remember?"

"No," he hissed, lowering his eyes.

"Timothy… I think aliens are using you and the children all around the world to speak to us. But you're the only adult-"

"No such thing!"

"Yes, there is," Rose answered in a low whisper. "I've met aliens, Timothy. Many many times. I'll believe whatever you tell me. I promise."

"Give me your hand," Timothy demanded, holding out his and gesturing for her to hurry. Calmly, Rose held out her hand to Timothy with a small reassuring smile. He sniffed at it, drawing a slight frown of confusion from her. "You're telling the truth," he announced a moment later.

"You could tell that by smelling me?" Rose questioned with a curious frown.

"Yes, you've met them?"

"Like I said, many times," Rose replied with a slight chuckle.

"Still not safe. Isn't it, isn't it?" Timothy asked as he twitched. He looked over his shoulder at the camera. "They're watching."

"We can't have that now can we," Rose agreed as she pulled out the sonic pen, drawing Timothy's attention back to her. She pressed the silver trigger and the pen whirled, switching off the camera. "How's that Timothy?"

"What's that thing?"

"Sonic pen," Rose informed him with a chuckle before she slipped it into her ponytail and leaned forward. "But I'm afraid right now that I need to understand what is happening. You've met aliens too, Timothy. What happened?" She paused and hesitated for a moment. "What's your name?"

"Haven't said it in years," he murmured. "I was a kid."

"Eleven years old, yeah? What happened?"

"They took us out. In the night, in the dark. Isn't it, isn't it? They told us, they said we were going to a new home," he answered with a far off haunted look.

"Who did? Who told you that?"

"The staff."

"Staff… so a care home? An orphanage?"

"They drove us away for miles and miles," Timothy told her, ignoring her question. "They were there in the sky."

"Okay lights, anything else? What did they look like?"

"Light," Timothy answered blankly. The light took them."

"Took who? Who was with you?"

"My friends," he replied with a small catch in his voice.

"But they didn't take you, why?"

"I ran," he told her in a near-breathless voice. "There was something, there were people, there was. Isn't it, isn't it, isn't it, isn't it?"

"It's okay," Rose assured him almost frantically, a bit frightened by his sudden turn. "You're safe now."

"But they're coming back. I've been smelling them for months," he told her darkly. "In the air. Long time coming."

"Timothy I can help. If you and other children were taken then there's got to b records of you. What was your name? It might help me find the answer."

"I was Clem. Clement MacDonald," he answered after a few moment. His eyes watered a little at the sound of his own name.

"Hello Clem," Rose breathed. "Thank you so much. Where were you from? Do you remember?"

"Holly Tree," he told her in a more distant voice and Rose tensed. She didn't think she was going to get more out of him.

Then her phone rang making him jump. Rose held up a hand and smiled, hoping to reassure him as she pulled out the phone. It was Kate.

"Rose," Kate's voice greeted sounding almost out of breath. "Spock said you found something."

"Someone," Rose corrected. "And yes I have. These aliens have been here before and they took children. He managed to escape but seems to still be connected somehow. Kate we can't leave him here, it's too open."

"Okay," Kate agreed. "Give me five minutes and I'll have him released to your custody."

"I'll take him to Spock for a scan and then we'll come to HQ," Rose promised.

Then the nurse burst into the room looking out of breath. "Oh, bloody hell, I've been running. That camera's gone off. It just went dead. Still, no harm done, eh? Everything all right?"

"We're fine," Rose assured her as she stood from her chair and moved over to Timothy. Kneeling down next to him, Rose whispered, "It'll be okay Clem. I'm taking you somewhere safe and together we'll make sure that no other kids get taken."

A look of confusion and displeasure took over the nurse's face. "Right, well, I think you've had long enough. Time for your meds, isn't it, Tim? If you don't mind," she told Rose, gesturing towards the door.

"Actually hold off on those meds," Rose told her as she stood up. "In five minutes he'll be leaving with me." She looked at Timothy who offered her a slightly crooked smile that made him look a bit like a broken little boy. "So maybe his clothes would be a good idea."


	39. Children of Earth: Threat Level Rising

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Children of Earth: Threat Level Rising

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Timothy White or Clement MacDonald didn't talk much even as the nurses made frustrated noises as Rose helped him into the passenger side of her SUV. UNIT had gotten him released to her, but that was just step one in a newly forming plan that might or might not lead anyway. Breathing out slowly, Rose climbed into the driver's side and ignored the questioning looks the nurses were still giving her. It wasn't the priority right now and started the engine.

They headed back towards London on the A22 with the radio now. Timothy tensed up when they began talking about the strange chanting from children all around the world. It didn't take long for the a word to be thrown around with one commentator referencing the Sycorax ship. Otherwise there wasn't much. A brief statement had been made by Prime Minister Harriet Jones urging people to remain calm while the event was investigated. Similar statements had been made by other world leaders and Rose knew that her fellow agents around the world were all working on the mystery. Hopefully, it would remain peaceful and cooperative.

"Clem I'm taking you to a special computer that can scan you," Rose told him gently as she glanced at him in the corner of her eye. "It won't hurt and you have nothing to be afraid of."

"What are you looking for?" he asked nervously. "It's safe isn't it?" He flinched at his own question with wide eyes.

"Completely safe," Rose assured him. "The computer has scanned one of the children affected so he- it can run a comparison of the two of you. See if there is anything different. It might help us understand how the aliens are doing this."

To her relief, he nodded and Rose checked their location. They were nearing Ealing and she looked around at the various fast food places. "Are you hungry?" she asked gently. "We haven't got time for anything fancy, but that hospital food couldn't have been all that good."

Her words earned her an actual smile and Clem looked around outside with renewed interest. He pointed at a chip shop and Rose beamed at him. "Man after my own heart."

Pulling over, Rose debated having Clem wait in the car, but at his eager happy smile, she decided it would be okay. She dashed inside and got two orders of chips and a stack of napkins. Returning to Clem she handed him one order and wrestled the second into a cup holder.

"Don't tell anyone," Rose told him with a wink as they started driving again and she snagged chips as they went.

It was a fairly short drive, but Clem inhaled the chips and Rose made good progress on hers. There was no new information on the radio and no calls from Spock. Rose hoped that was a good thing, but couldn't help the nervous tap of her fingers against the steering wheel. They turned onto Bannerman Road and a long breath of mixed irritation and realisation escaped Rose. Several UNIT vehicles were parked on the street of Bannerman Road. Rose heard a sharp intake of breath from Clem.

"It's okay," she promised. "This is UNIT. I work for them. They're probably here to keep us safe and help with whatever we find."

Clem was still a little frightened by the crowd of people and Rose grimaced as she spotted her mother arguing with an exhausted looking sergeant. It was better than her flirting with him, Rose decided as she pulled around the UNIT vehicles and parked around the corner. Clem was looking around the neighbourhood like he'd never seen anything like it. Rose frowned a little. This man seemed to swing between an adult and a child.

"Come on then," Rose said as she popped the final chip into her mouth. "We'll do the scan and see what happens next."

"Okay," Clem agreed though there was a hint of hesitation in his voice.

Rose left the SUV unlocked and offered him a smile as he climbed out. "It's safe," she promised again. "I'll look after you."

Normally that sort of promise from an average height blonde woman didn't inspire much confidence, but Clem looked relieved. Rose wondered just what he could smell about her. He followed up around the corner towards Sarah Jane's house. The UNIT soldiers nodded in greeting to her and Rose hoped that no one stopped them. Clem was receiving a few questioning looks and stayed on Rose's left, keeping her between him and the strangers.

Looking through the crowd, Rose felt another pang of worry as she didn't recognise anyone present. There were a few familiar looking enlisted men, but she didn't know any of the officers. The knowledge that they were tied up somewhere else didn't reassure her. None the less, she offered them a small wave and escorted Clem to the drive of Sarah Jane's house. The door opened ahead of them and an irate Sarah Jane stood in the entry. She gestured them inside and quickly shut the door behind them.

"Why are they all here?" Sarah Jane demanded with a glance out the window. "I don't like my home being surrounded by soldiers."

"They're by mine too," Rose pointed out with a sigh. "Clem's our only lead right now Sarah Jane. Kate probably told Benton and they decided that keeping him safe was the priority." Rose turned to Clem and gave him a reassuring smile. "Clem this is Sarah Jane. Don't worry her bark is much worse than her bite." The statement got her a sigh from Sarah Jane and a smile from Clem.

"Just hurry," Sarah Jane begged after a moment. "Barbara called and asked Johnny and I to join them in Cambridge. They share your concerns and the news isn't helping much."

"Understood," Rose agreed. "Finish packing and I'll take care of the scan."

Sarah Jane looked like she might say something more, but didn't. With a soft smile to Clem, Rose gestured him up the stairs. She paused on the second-floor landing just long enough to glance into Skye's room where she was busy packing a bag with her father's help. Rose kept moving up to the attic and found Spock open and waiting for them.

"It smells…" Clem trailed off uneasily as he looked at Spock. "Different."

"Uh the computer is a bit different," Rose agreed carefully, worried about startling the man. "Just stand right here," she told him as she headed into the room and stood in front of Spock. "There'll be a beam of light, but it won't hurt at all."

Clem was looking around the house with a strange expression. It was fond in a way, but also wistful and Rose found herself wondering just who this man had been before. She was tempted to ask but gestured him up the staircase. He followed her calmly and Rose thought again that he reminded her of a little boy in a way. Thankfully no one was in the attic and Spock was waiting for them.

"Now Clem this is the special computer," Rose said loudly, hoping that Spock would take the hint. "Just stand right here," she told him with a smile as she moved further into the room. "This won't hurt."

"You're worried," Clem observed with a slight frown. "Isn't it."

Rose frowned a little at the tic but dismissed it quickly. "A bit," she admitted honestly. "But I won't let anything hurt you."

The look Clem gave her made Rose feel so sad. He seemed truly surprised by the sentiment and without another word stepped over in front of Spock. The Xylok remained silent and a beam appeared in the air, sweeping down Clem's face and body. Rose tensed up and watched the screen as an image of Clem appeared. The beam moved up to his head and Rose was silent as it scanned his brain more deeply.

"This place smells strange," Clem complained softly as the beam vanished. "Wrong, not like Earth. Not right."

"Yeah okay," Rose breathed as she reached over and took his hand. "Okay, that's fair. I have to wrap some things up with Sp- the computer, but why don't you wait in the car. Is that okay?"

"It's alright," Clem agreed only to twitch and add, "Isn't it."

Rose wasn't sure what to make of that but led Clem back downstairs. Sarah Jane, Johnny and the kids were arranging their bags in the drive next to the family car as they stepped outside. Clem looked at Skye with a strange mix of envy and sympathy but kept moving. It was a short walk back to the SUV and Rose gestured for the UNIT personnel to stay back.

Clem remained quiet and climbed into the front seat of the SUV without a word. He sighed and settled back on the seat for a moment before he lowered the window and the chair. Rose smiled a little as he positioned himself for a nap and quickly moved back towards the house.

"Ma'am," an unfamiliar captain called, drawing her attention. "What's your plan now?"

"I'll take him to UNIT HQ," Rose promised. "I think it's best if he stays with me. He's been through something terrible in the past."

"I'll confirm that with HQ," the captain agreed, glancing towards Clem.

"We'll leave in a second," Rose added as she began to move back towards Sarah Jane's house. "I just need to follow up with Spock."

"Yes Ma'am," the captain agreed, snapping a salute.

"You don't need to do that," Rose sighed even with a slight smile. "Really."

Holding back a sigh when the captain awkwardly kept the salute up, Rose walked back toward the house. She was really starting to understand the Doctor's hesitation to accept salutes. Once you did it was like you had agreed to take command. That was not something she wanted at all. Especially not a day like today.

A strange sound down the street made Rose pause on the front doorstep. Suddenly there was a loud crash that made Rose jump into the house and look around frantically. Sarah Jane grabbed onto Skye in the living room and looked towards the windows with worry. K-9 rolled past her feet and with a soft hum began to float into the air.

"Mum?" Skye questioned softly just before the sound of gunfire ripped through the air, coming from the end of Bannerman Road. "Mum!"

"Skye, stay with me," Sarah Jane ordered sharply.

"Sarah Jane go to UNIT and get out of here," Rose told her as she glanced towards the roof. There was a loud noise from the backyard that made them all jump. "We're under attack!" Johnny pushed Luke towards the front door and stayed between Sarah Jane and the back. "Go!" Rose hissed. "K-9 escort them out."

"Rose?" Sarah Jane gasped softly as a crash from the back door made them all jump.

"Spock!" Rose called out, dashing for the stairs as K-9 began to fire at the intruders.

"Suggest you engage running mode Mistress," K-9 offered quickly. "I will cover the retreat."

Outside the house, she could hear gunfire and grimaced at shouting from down the street as UNIT ordered the civilians into the vans. Rose prayed her mother would have the good sense to listen to them. Rushing up the stairs, Rose tried to stay calm, but the knowledge that something was attacking her home street made that difficult.

"Spock!" she called as she rushed into the attic. "We have to go!"

"Rose?" Spock questioned. "What is happening? I have been monitoring-"

"No time, disconnect from the system!" Rose ordered.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes," she gasped, looking towards the door with worry. "Someone is attacking Bannerman Road!"

"Eclipse?"

"Might be or Torchwood," Rose answered as she moved over to the window and saw the Chesterton-Smiths being loaded into a UNIT truck. The troops were lining up and firing both down the street and towards the house along with K-9 whose lasers were probably doing the best job. "The UNIT forces are holding them off and moving the Smiths. We have to get you out of here. Even K-9 can only distract them so long."

Rose reached underneath the large panel that housed Spock and pulled out a loaded backpack that held what remained of Spock's original interface. As the panel opened with a loud hiss, Rose unzipped the bag and tried to catch her breath. The crystal structure of Spock rose up slowly. Small wires and electrodes connected it to the computer mainframe, but Rose batted them off and lifted the crystal from the panel. Stuffing it in the bag, Rose hoisted it up onto her shoulder and flinched as she heard a crash on the stairs as someone knocked over one of the Sarah Jane's vases.

Opening the largest of the windows, Rose carefully set the bag out on the roof before climbing out herself. She jumped out after it and closed the window before pulling the bag on. The largest of the trees on the property had one promising branch that Rose grabbed onto. Grabbing onto it, Rose felt a rush of near terror as the branch bent beneath her weight, but it held. She tried to pretend it was an old piece of playground equipment as she shimmied her way to the trunk. Rose dropped onto a lower branch and then after taking a breath let herself fall into a set of bushes.

She could still hear the firefight and screaming from the neighbours as she dropped to the ground and the small branches tugged at her clothes. Her knees and ankles protested, threatening to crumble under her, but Rose forced herself to move. Rushing out the front gate, Rose heard shouting from the attic but kept moving. UNIT forces moved in behind her to cover her exit and she noticed that the truck with the Chesterton-Smiths was already gone.

"Rose!" Clem's almost panicked voice called from the car. "Gone wrong, isn't it!"

The side street was empty and Rose shrugged off the backpack enough to shove it into the back as she climbed into the driver's seat. Pulling out her keys, she heard a small boom echoing down the road. The gunfire continued, but Rose pulled them sharply away from the pavement while Clem whimpered beside her. Searching the road, Rose sped up and turned onto a side street, sending the backpack across the backseat. Up ahead more large black SUV were pulling towards Bannerman Road and Rose pressed the accelerator and sped past them. In the rearview mirror, she could see them beginning to turn, but sped up as much as she dared to put as much distance between her and them.

They just kept driving and Rose gradually slowed down to stop attracting attention. Clem was rocking himself and whispering under his breath when Rose finally looked in the mirrors and didn't see any SUVs. Breathing out, she looked around at their location. They were nearing Central London and she eased her grip on the steering wheel as she tried to think of what to do next.

Her phone rang the sound loud and startling. Rose's heart jumped and Clem grabbed the phone out of her pocket, just as alarmed as she was. Letting out a breath slowly to calm down, Rose shook herself as she took the phone from Clem. She hit the speaker button and dropped it into the cup holder.

"Rose!" her mum's voice demanded. "Where are you? Are you alright?"

"Mum?" Rose called into the phone. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Jackie huffed at her. "Those UNIT blokes shoved me and Rita-Anne into a truck when the shooting started. Won't tell me anything, just that we're safe."

"Have they said anything about who attacked you?" Rose asked urgently.

"I just said that they won't tell me anything," Jackie reminded her. "Where are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm safe," Rose offered carefully. "Look Mum please stay with UNIT. Something is going on and I don't like it."

"What do you mean?"

"We shouldn't have been attacked," Rose told her with a sigh. "Something like this… all the agencies should be working together and I'm just not sure what is happening. Are you with the Chesterton-Smiths?"

"Yes we're in the same barracks, but really Rose barracks-"

"Good, you'll be safe. Stay with Sarah Jane and please listen to her if she tells you to do something. Tell her that I'm going to keep working on this, that I'm not going to let anything happen to Skye."

"Rose Marion Tyler-"

"I love you, Mum," Rose interrupted. "But I've got to go. I shouldn't stay on the phone. Don't try to call. I mean it! This isn't safe and they might be able to track me."

Her own words made Rose pause as she ended the call. That was a scary good point, one she hadn't considered. Licking her lips, she debated if there was time for one more call. She didn't let herself hesitate further and grabbed the phone. Scrolling through her contacts, she found the mobile phone was a looking for, pressed the button and waited.

"Rose? Please tell me it's you?" the voice of Harriet Jones begged softly, sounding like she was whispering.

"It's me. Harriet, what is happening?" Rose demanded, much more harshly than she meant to.

"Rose I'm sorry," Harriet told her, sounding near tears. "Things are mad here. I tried to get information, but Torchwood is putting a lock on multiple layers of security. I was going to call you soon."

"Torchwood!" Rose snapped. "You're the Prime Minister Harriet!"

"You don't understand the situation with Torchwood Rose," Harriet sighed. "Hartman and her predecessors have… well, they've locked themselves into multiple levels of government. Nothing happens without her knowing about it and she's taken control of the situation. I don't have any leverage against her while she has already pressured multiple members of the cabinet."

"Harriet, someone made a move to kill me and my family and friends," Rose informed her after taking a deep breath.

"What?" Harriet gasped. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but I'm trying to figure out what to do next. Do you know anything? Do you think it was Torchwood?"

"I can't see Hartman doing something like that," Harriet insisted sounding more confident in her anger. "That's too big, too open and violent for her."

"Yesterday I might have agreed with you," Rose confessed, biting her bottom lip. "But you said that they're trying to shut things down. Something very ugly is going on here Harriet."

"I know," Harriet told her. "Look, Rose, what I have gotten is that this is connected to something called the 456. Possibly an alien species from the past, but the information isn't being given to me. I outright ordered it and was informed that there are things elected officials aren't permitted access to."

"I don't like the sound of that," Rose whispered into the phone, suddenly feeling very cold.

"I agree," Harriet replied sharply. "Look stay safe. I'm not sure who attacked you and your family, but you need to stay safe. Where are your family? Are they safe?"

"I'm not sure where they are," Rose admitted, hoping she wasn't making a mistake trusting Harriet. "UNIT took them into protective custody when there was an attack on Bannerman Road."

"Then hopefully they will stay safe," Harriet said with a sigh of relief. "But Rose the bureaucrats giving me the run around are also trying to limit UNIT's power in the crisis. Torchwood has already claimed jurisdiction over the crisis despite the global level. It's making things difficult for UNIT UK."

"How can they manage that?"

"I'm not sure, but I think someone might be influencing the Security Council," Harriet answered sounding every angry. "I'm finding things out about my government that I'm not happy with. I'll send you anything I find." There was a noise in the background. "Rose I need to go. Stay safe and please help us."

"I will," Rose promised into the phone, but the call had already ended.

Something was happening and even the Prime Minister couldn't find it or control it. Rose felt ill and took a long slow breath, looking around them in concern. She felt cold and the vague warning that UNIT might somehow be in danger made things worse. All she could do was hope that her mum and friends had been moved somewhere safe. Like maybe a bunker in Australia. Rose allowed herself a small chuckle at the thought before she reached down and turned off the phone. There was work to do.

"Are we going to UNIT?" Clem asked her causing Rose to jump slightly; she'd all but forgotten he was there.

"I'm not sure," Rose answered slowly, shocked at hearing the words. "If someone is trying to keep them out of this then me teaming up with UNIT may be playing into their hands."

"Bad people?" Clem questioned. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah," Rose sighed, tightening her grip on the steering wheel. "Bad people. Eclipse have plans of world domination. I guess this opportunity is too good to ignore."

"What can you do alone?" Clem pressed, looking nervous.

Breathing out slowly, Rose straightened her back and swallowed. "I have faith that Benton won't let anything happen to my mum and the others so I have to focus on what is happening. Someone wants to stop me and I can't let that happen. Step one we need to find someplace to set up Spock and see what more we can find." She looked at Clem who looked frightened. "I'm going to need your help, Clem. You're all I've got right now."

"I'll help," her told her in a soft childlike voice before he sniffed the air. He cast his eyes out the window and towards the sky. "But they're getting closer."


	40. Children of Earth: Restoring Spock

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty: Children of Earth: Restoring Spock

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose parked the SUV near a park which had parents crowding near their children, watching them like hawks. Some police officers were patrolling and watching the children from a nearby corner. Looking over at Clem, Rose forced a small smile as she reached back to retrieve the heavy backpack.

"Clem we need to find a place to lay low," she told him. "I need to get the computer working so I can find out what is going on."

"What's going on?" Clem repeated with a dazed expression as he looked around nervously.

"Yeah Clem," Rose told him, reaching over and squeezing his hand. "I'm going to stop this remember. I know that attack was scary, it scared me too, but the other children are still in danger."

Something in what she said seemed to get through to him because a moment later he nodded. He squeezed her hand in return and Rose's expression softened. It really was frightening to look at him and see the different parts of what remained. Rose couldn't help but feel lucky all of a sudden. Even with the Guardians, the Trickster and that horrible almost marriage to the Silver Lord she'd been lucky. The Doctor had been there when things were at their worst, but this boy's world had been shattered.

"Come on then," Rose forced out as she opened the door and climbed out. She pulled on the backpack with a slight huff, already making a list of what she'd need to get Spock to the point that he could help her sort out this mess.

She pulled out the sonic pen as they walked and started zapping the various cameras. It wasn't much, but if they kept moving for a bit and stayed out of the direct line of sight of the cameras then hopefully they wouldn't be found. Rose almost looked back at her SUV, wondering if it would be safe. She was suddenly very worried about her flat in Cambridge or her mum's home being sacked. There wasn't anything truly dangerous there for them to find, but her letters from Eve and her diary could be a problem.

Rose shoved the thought out of her head, trying to calm down. The letters were all hidden in hollowed out books and after the Silver Lord wedding fiasco, she'd taken to hiding her diary just to be safe. They'd have to tear everything apart and attract a lot of attention to find everything. She was beginning to really look forward to the safety of the TARDIS in the future. After all, the Doctor might not like it, but she had no doubt that he'd respect her privacy in regards to the diary.

She paused and reach back and retrieve a small duffle bag from the floor of the back seat and handed it to Clem. "This has some blankets and emergency stuff."

"Emergency stuff?" Clem repeated.

"Yeah I drive between London and Cambridge and other places so I keep a few things in the car," Rose explained as she closed the door and locked everything up. Hopefully, it wouldn't be totally destroyed. Though she really wasn't going to need it after graduation.

"You're worried," Clem observed as they began to walk down a side street.

"Yeah," Rose agreed, knowing it was rubbish to lie to Clem. "I'm not sure yet how to stop these aliens. I need to know more about them."

"I don't remember much," Clem apologised softly. "There was just the light."

"Yeah and they took the kids," Rose finished uneasily. "And now they're communicating through the kids and you."

They wandered for a while, losing themselves in the hum and flow of London. The atmosphere of the city was all wrong. While during the staged crash by the Slitheen Family humans had been torn between torn between excitement and panic there was true fear in the air. As they walked she could hear radios and tellys with the news running and no new information. There were more 'experts' providing their theories on the crisis, but despite the blind denial of the past, it seemed that aliens were finally being accepted once and for all.

"They all know now," Clem sighed, shaking his head and almost hugging the duffle bag. "Innocence over."

"Not all aliens are bad," Rose offered weakly. "We'll sort this out and find out what is going on."

Clem said nothing and Rose wished he could tell her something about the aliens. Looking around, Rose tried to figure out where they could go that wouldn't be too obvious, but still had access to what they needed. Clem shuffled along beside her and thankfully no one paid any attention to them.

Then two words caught the corner of her eye and Rose stopped to take in the elegant graffiti that read: Bad Wolf. Rose looked up at the building thoughtfully. It looked like half studios and half offices with signs of construction on the upper levels. Gesturing to Clem, she led him back into the alley and brushed her fingers over the painted message. Someday she was going to find out where these all came from. A message was one thing, trusting it was another thing when you didn't know who the one who sent the message was. At least the Doctor trusted them.

A heavy metal backdoor was sealed up, but the sonic pen was able to disengage the keypad lock. It clicked open and Rose pulled it open. The corridor beyond was dark and Rose fought down a shiver of worry. She reached into her shoulder bag and retrieved a small torch that she shined the corridor. The building was cold with the concrete walls still holding onto the chill of winter. There were signs of restoration work, but the layer of dust on the tools and supplies spoke of delays which Rose could only be grateful for.

"Come on Clem," Rose called gently as she walked into the dark building. "Let's see what we have to work with."

A narrow staircase that didn't look up to code led up to a second floor where the work seemed to be concentrated. Rose figured judging from the layout it was being turned into a bedsit. There were small rooms with loos and water closet at each end of the hall. It was more depressing than the small flat she'd grown up in. Windows were covered with wood and plastic, but some light was leaking in around the rough job. It didn't look like the best construction job and Rose figured some arguments were why the work had stopped. None the less, she was a bit grateful for it.

Pulling out her phone, Rose wandered amongst the small rooms until she found an internet signal from the coffee shop down the block. It was weak, but she could work it to get Spock up and running again. The sound of running water made her jump in alarm and look around frantically for intruders. Then the sound stopped and Clem re-entered the room a few moments later with a smile. Rose blinked at him and he must have realised the source of her surprise.

"Loo still works," he offered with a sheepish smile.

"Oh," Rose breathed. "That's good then." She gestured towards the outlets and exposed wiring. "Hopefully we have some electricity too, but we have to be careful not let any light show in the street."

"I know," Clem murmured and Rose grimaced at the reminder that he'd probably lived on the street plenty over the years.

Clem was silent as he sat in the corner and watched Rose pull out the parts of Spock's old system. Her fingers reconnected the wires and unfolded the collapsed frame automatically as her mind kept racing. Harriet's statement about these aliens: 456 kept echoing in her head, but it didn't make any sense. Why that name? What were they like and what were they after?

"How long will this take?" Clem questioned softly. "To fix the computer?"

"I'm not sure," Rose admitted. "I need to get the interface working again, replace anything that I missed and make sure he can access the internet again." Rose reached into her bag and found a hair tie. She pulled her hair up into a sloppy ponytail and returned her attention to the interface.

Rose worked on it, lamenting the passage of time around her. This had taken months to perfect the first time and had been done in stages. Some of the elements had been used in the creation of Spock's full interface and Rose was left scrambling. Clem was seated near the window and peering out of the small cracks. Slowly the light began to die just as Rose's patience with the project was fading.

"Bugger!" Rose grumbled as the interface flickered off. "I knew I should have upgraded this thing just in case!" She sighed and rubbed at her eyes, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. "I took Sarah Jane's house for granted. I should know better." Rose looked at Spock's crystal form waiting in the backpack and reminded herself to stay calm for him. It was much worse for Spock, trapped inside his own mind with no way to communicate that she'd understand. Exhaling slowly, Rose rolled her shoulders and sighed. "I need to go find a few things Clem," Rose told him softly making Clem's eyes widen. "I'll be back soon!"

"Why?" he questioned in a low voice as Rose tied her hair up in a ponytail.

"I need some more parts for Spock," she answered with a sigh. "And we need some supplies."

"How can I help?" Clem asked to her surprise. "They might not be looking for me."

Rose paused and rolled her lips nervously. It was possible. She glanced around the small space they were squatting in. They really did some basics like food. Pulling out her wallet, Rose checked what cash she had and sighed in relief. She'd probably have to find a cash point and use the sonic pen which she disliked at some point, but she could get them started.

"We need some food, simple things we don't need heat for," Rose instructed quickly as she held out several bills to Clem. "Will you be able to find your way back here?'

"Yes," Clem answered calmly.

"Okay then," Rose breathed. "There's one more thing I can do and then I'll run out myself."

Clem lingered for a moment longer to watch her as Rose attached a small wireless card to the interface. It clicked into place and Rose gently picked up Spock's crystal from the backpack. Scooting back, Rose used her foot to spread the interface frame out another inch before carefully lowering Spock into the small cradle. Some of the lights turned on and there was a faint hum from the interface. Rose picked up a couple of electric sensors and gently laid them over Spock's crystal surface. Clem was eying the set up with some suspicion but said nothing as she stood up.

"Hopefully I can find what I need," Rose told him with a smile as she stretched. Her back popped a little and Rose grimaced at the sound. "I don't want to wait until tomorrow."

"Aliens coming quickly," Clem agreed with a frown as his eyes flickered over the window. "Just a few days."

"Any idea how many?" Rose pressed, suddenly aware of the knowledge Clem possessed. "Two? Three?"

"I'm not sure," Clem admitted as he took a step towards the door. "We should go now. Shops will close soon."

Nodding, Rose followed him to the door. She glanced back at Spock uneasily. It didn't feel right leaving him like this, but she couldn't ask Clem to protect him and they needed some parts. They made their way down the stairs and parted with Rose glancing back toward Clem. She had to keep reminding herself that he'd survived for years and kept his head down.

The electronics store was already closed as Rose looked it over carefully. She pulled out the sonic pen from her bag and quickly flicked it on. The nearby camera blinked and Rose smiled in relief, knowing that it was now looped. Pointing the tip of the pen at the doorway, Rose breathed out a little easier when the electronic lock clicked open as the soft blue of the pen illuminated it. She pushed the door open and stepped inside quickly before she could draw too much attention. Rose's eyes swept around the space as she checked the wall.

She stepped over the alarm beam quickly and moved to the counter. There was a white panel behind the register that Rose opened and soniced in one smooth motion. Rose paused and waited for a long moment and any indication that she'd triggered an alarm. All was silent except for the sound of the traffic outside. Exhaling, Rose ignored the grumble in her stomach that protested she hadn't eaten sine lunch and began to go through the aisle of the electronics store.

"Okay," Rose breathed as she looked around. "Theft, lovely. But necessary," she reminded herself.

Rose moved through the aisles grabbing cables, wires and a few other odds and ends to cannibalise. Her mind flashed back to her other life memories of watching Peter Tyler tear apart new technology while Jackie protested across the room. He'd had a notebook full of sketches and ideas on how to improve them.

Freezing in place, Rose barely held back a wave of sorrow as tears pricked at her eyes. She almost laughed, it came at the oddest times. Rose took a slow breath and tried to push the memory away as she wondered why her alternate self hadn't followed her father in technology. Peter Tyler had excelled in maths and the sciences for his Os and yet she'd never followed him. Rose tried to remember why she'd chosen music only for the memory of her mum's face when she first performed after a year of lessons to swim before her. A soft chuckle escaped her and Rose allowed herself to linger in the memory of that Rose Tyler studying music so she could create and the pieces she'd written herself for her parents. She may have had her father's talents, but she'd had a passion to do something different from both versions of them. It really was a bit funny: one of them trying to be different from her parents and the other emulating him without even knowing it for years.

Shaking her head, Rose wiped away a stray tear and sighed. As she grabbed a set of speakers and a microphone, Rose wondered what her father would have thought of her stealing so she could save the world and her life history. She regretted that there hadn't been time to let him see how much of her he was no matter the reality. Gathering up her things, Rose put them into a couple of bags she found behind the counter. She also found a notepad and wrote out an apology note, a list of things she'd taken and a message to bill it to UNIT. It made her feel a bit better even as she could hear the Doctor laughing at her in her head.

…

Rose hated feeling helpless and detached. Things were going badly, she could feel it in her gut and yet she was hiding and trying to get Spock's interface working enough to find out what was happening. Part of her was beginning to wonder if the Doctor's favourite plan of getting captured was the best route this time, but then she thought back to Bannerman Road and the firearms the unknown forces had been carrying. If it was Eclipse than she already knew they had an execution order out on her and there was no Dalek to save her this time.

Turning on her mobile phone, Rose checked the list of missed calls. Her mother had called ten times, she noted with a grimace. This was going to be an ugly argument when it was all over. Rose wasn't sure how safe it was to keep her phone on under the circumstances. She'd never bothered asking the Doctor if it could be traced or if the TARDIS protected the calls. Deciding to risk it, Rose kept it on and flicked down her list of contacts. The TARDIS was still greyed out.

Before her were scattered the various things she'd taken from the shop, half a can of cold beans and a banana peel. She set the phone to the side and picked up the microphone and speakers and hooked them into the old audio connection. Her fingers moved on their own as she clicked the makeshift circuits and connections into place. It was half sleek and refined work from a Cambridge student and half scraps and last minute patchwork.

"Come on, come on, come on," Rose hissed as the interface began to light up around Spock's crystal structure. She heard Clem take a sharp breath of alarm and wonder.

"It's alien isn't it?"

"Yeah," Rose admitted uneasily. "But he's on our side Clem," she assured him as she risked looking over at him. "Spock is a Xylok and his purpose is to protect the Earth and humanity. He'll help us and he won't hurt you." Clem didn't look convinced and Rose felt a twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry, I know this scares you, but please trust me."

The interface finished lighting up and the speaker light flickered on. Rose sucked in a sharp breath and waited for what felt like forever as the laptop screen began to turn on. A moment later the familiar crystal looking screen saver that served as Spock's image appeared and a smile took over Rose's face.

"Welcome back Spock," Rose breathed. "Everything okay?"

"Indeed," the Xylok agreed. "All systems working at necessary function level."

"Good, I hooked you up the internet first. Any chance you found anything?"

"Nothing yet I'm afraid," Spock admitted. "But I am establishing a connection to the Prime Minister's office."

"Excellent," Rose sighed in relief. "Maybe Harriet will have something."

"It will take me some time to go through everything," Spock reminded her. "I am not operating with full systems at the moment."

"Right," Rose groaned, nodding her understanding sadly. "How much time do you think?"

"A few hours at least," Spock told her gently. "I have been completely out of the loop for several hours." Spock paused and the interface lights flashed. "Rose may I suggest you rest. It is almost midnight and you need sleep."

Rose wanted to protest, but a wave of exhaustion hit her suddenly. Clem stepped up behind her and draped a blanket over her shoulders. He sat down beside her and picked up the can of beans. Rose managed a smile as he held it out to her.

"You're good at this," he remarked with a nod towards Spock as she took the tin.

"Yeah," Rose breathed. "I'm a student at Cambridge. Computer science and physics."

"I would have guessed robotics," Clem offered with a slight smile, looking more relaxed than Rose thought she'd ever seen.

"Nah," she chuckled. "Mind you I did take a robotics seminar. Teased my main professor about liking that teacher more than him, not that Ian believed me. I like computer science, it transcends the technology really with the logical progression it works on and physics is well… physics." She took a sip of water from one of the plastic bottles. "My education has served me well so far."

"That's good isn't it," Clem sighed, shivering a little and pulling a blanket around himself. "You should sleep."

"So should you," Rose countered even as she shifted over another blanket that was stretched out on the floor on top of a pad of carpet. "It's been a long day for us both."

"Won't sleep," Clem whispered, fear creeping into his voice. "Isn't safe." He looked at Spock again. "Too many aliens."

"I know they hurt you," Rose whispered. "But Spock is different. I promise. He protects Earth. He's my best chance now of stopping this."

Clem nodded but said nothing else. Holding back a sigh, Rose cushioned her head with her arm. Even as she tried to consider what to do next and worried about what the next day would bring. So much had already happened and she could feel it in her bones that the crisis had only just begun.


	41. Children of Earth: They Return

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-One: Children of Earth: They Return

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Her father's face swam before her made hazy by tears. Rose couldn't hear anything even as his lips moved. Then a swirl of black invaded the vision as a sharp toothy smile appeared. A deep rough laugh filled her ears and Rose felt the world falling away beneath her. Voices began to shout for attention in her mind, a mix of different tones, words and even languages that became impossible to tell apart though the voices sounded a lot like her own.

The Dalek rolled towards her with its eyestalk focused on her. The small bulbs on its head flashed, but she still couldn't hear it over the voices. Her right arm felt heavy even as she tried to summon her sword. She couldn't and she turned to run. A man was standing behind her in black body armor with a large rifle in hand. He raised it and pointed it at her as her eyes were drawn up. Overhead the sun began to turn black, sending a rush of panic through Rose.

Waking up quickly, Rose struggled to breathe as she felt tears slipping down her cheeks. She wiped at them with her hand and slowly sat up trying to get her bearings. Around her, the cold and mostly empty room reminded her quickly of the situation and she sniffed.

"Rose?" Spock's voice softly called. "Are you alright?"

"Nightmare," Rose answered. "My Dad and…" she trailed off not wanting to talk about the bad memories from other lives that sometimes broke through. "And other stuff. It's just the stress."

Her whole body ached from sleeping on the too hard surface. The pad of carpet due for installation hadn't done much, but Rose was grateful for it. That and the lack of mirrors. Reaching to the side, she grabbed her shoulder bag with a slight smile. The poor thing was due for retirement. She'd have to keep her eyes open for something a bit more solid. Maybe a small leather satchel, something with pockets at least.

Rose dug out a comb and began to straighten up her tangled hair. It felt dirty, but she settled on pulling it back into a braid. Simple and functional seemed to be the order of the day. Spock was silent except for the soft hum of his interface. Rose was grateful for the few minutes to try and sort herself out. The nightmare lingered on the edge of her awareness and Rose found herself unable to just shrug it off. Looking towards Clem, she sighed in relief when she found him still asleep.

"What have you got this morning?" Rose questioned Spock, leaning forwards slightly.

"There has been construction going on at Thames House," Spock informed her. "Numerous messages and supplies were going in and out of the building all through the night."

"They're building something."

"Yes, but it seems to be tied to the Civil Service rather than the Prime Minister herself," Spock answered with a hint of unease. "I have managed to get into the camera system and Hartman visited Thames House last night."

"Could you see what they were building?" Rose asked tightly, clenching her fists. "Bloody Torchwood," she grumbled.

"They are building some sort of tank," Spock informed her. "Beyond that, I am still uncertain. Much of the goings-on are being done by hand delivered documents rather than the digital systems."

"Smart. Not good for us, but smart," Rose sighed and looked towards the window where light was streaming through. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon," Spock answered calmly.

"What? Spock, you should have woken me sooner," Rose hissed, glancing towards Clem again.

"It would have done no good," Spock reminded her. "And you need rest. I will keep searching for information."

Nodding her head, Rose lay back down and tried to stay calm. The light pouring in reminded here that there was more to do even as she listened to the soft hum of Spock's interface. She followed the long power cords to the wall outlets and bit her lip. Rose really hoped no one noticed how much power was being used her. There wasn't the time to install the energy cells they had Sarah Jane's.

Somehow she must have fallen asleep again because she woke with a start to the sound of Clem whimpering. Rose sat up sharply and looked around as she reminded herself of their location. Clem was pacing in a small area, rubbing his head and whimpering. Climbing to her feet, Rose hesitated as to if she should touch him.

"Clem?" she called gently.

"I knew they'd come back. Bastards always come back." Clem groaned as he stumbled back into the corner shaking. "I can smell them! Just like last time, isn't it? Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, Stop!"

"Clem," Rose called gently as she lowered herself to her knees and half crawled after him. "It's okay, I'm here. We're going to stop them."

"The others walked into the light," Clem hissed with tears in his eyes. He didn't fight as Rose settled next to him. Instead, he turned his head and started crying into the fabric of her jacket. "They didn't want me, but they took the others. I ran and I hid, but I knew. Always knees they'd come back."

"I've got you," Rose whispered softly as she gently rocked the man. "Anything else Clem?" she asked even as she felt guilty. "Do you remember anything else?"

"T… one of the women's badges had a T on it," Clem whimpered. "She was scowling and looked angry and sad, but she didn't stop taking us to the light. I asked her it was safe isn't it." He hiccupped and shuddered. "Isn't it?"

That explained that tic at least and Rose felt sick. They'd really been handed over the aliens. But by who… the T could be Torchwood she realised with a jolt. That might explain why they were working so hard at the government level to get control rather than helping UNIT. If it came out that they'd handed children over…. It still didn't explain who was meddling at the UN to block UNIT.

Then Clem's hand rose into the air and pointed towards the window as he stopped crying. A vacant expression took over his face tying Rose's stomach in knots. Her head ached for a moment as she felt that strange pressure at her temple once again.

"Spock! Scan him!" she ordered as she shifted to give Spock a clear view. A small beam shot out of the interface and centred on Clem's forehead.

"Reports are pouring in on the news," Spock told her a moment later. "Children across the world are pointing towards England." He paused and then added. "They are pointing towards the centre of London."

"Thames House," Rose whispered, biting her bottom lip, torn between staying with Clem and calling Harriet.

"We are here," Clem announced. Then his hand dropped and he blinked at her. "It's them. They're back."

Rose thought her heart might stop at the words, but instead, she turned towards Spock. "Have you found anything Spock?"

"I'm having difficulty getting through the layers of security," Spock informed her sadly. "It took more time than I expected. Representatives from various countries are flying in and Thames House is at the centre of it all. Some sort of construction is underway and I believe that they have contact with the aliens."

"That's not reassuring," Rose sighed as she turned her attention back to Clem. "And you're making sure you aren't traced."

"I've been bouncing my signal around," Spock assured her. "Part of the reason it is all taking so long."

Clem was sighing softly and was beginning to doze. Rose wondered how much sleep the old man had gotten over the last week. Gently she helped him to his feet and guided him back to the pad. She laid him out and watched in silence for a moment as he shifted in his sleep. Another whimper escaped him and Rose looked towards the window.

"Spock… I need to call UNIT," Rose breathed.

"I wouldn't suggest the superphone. We don't know enough about if it can be traced by modern technology."

"No, there was a phone booth nearby," Rose answered as she picked up her bag. "I'll call from there."

"Be careful," Spock cautioned Rose. "And clean up a bit first."

….

Rose dropped another quarter into the phone booth and glanced around nervously. She hadn't been in one of these things in years and wasn't sure how closely monitored they were. Still, she managed to put in the number for UNIT and waited nervously. The call went to the automatic machine and Rose pressed the zero button impatiently.

"UNIT UK," a female voice greeted pleasantly after the machine clicked off.

"It's Agent Tyler," Rose said as she fought back a nervous fidget. "I need to speak with Benton at once."

"One moment," the receptionist answered carefully. "Brigadier Benton left orders in case you called." She paused and then added, "Agent Tyler officially you haven't been cleared to work on this by the United Nations and I never spoke with you."

"Wait what-" Rose started to ask only for the line to beep.

There was ringing and the receptionist was gone. Rose waited uncertainly for something more to happen. "Hello?" her friend Shareen's voice answered softly a moment later.

"Shareen? It's Rose," she told her quietly with relief flooding her system. "You okay?"

"Rose!" Shareen cried out in obvious relief. "Oh thank God! We've been so worried."

"Are you safe?" Rose pressed as she glanced around again, afraid that more men in black were about to appear.

"Yes, we're alright. UNIT came to our flat yesterday. We're… well, I probably shouldn't say over the phone. But Sarah Jane, her family, your Mum, Rita Anne, the Chestertons are here. It's some sort of bunker. Not very comfortable, but we're safe. I wasn't expecting this phone to ring though. Anyway Ian and Doctor Shaw are communicating with London, but Benton said there's something weird going on at the Security Council."

"That's what Harriet told me," Rose agreed, sighing at the bad news. "She's finding it hard to do much at her level. Apparently, Torchwood is part of this mess somehow."

"Bugger Torchwood," Shareen huffed. "Have you got a plan?"

"No," Rose groaned. "I'm still trying to find out what is even happening. Spock is running searches and I just… I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"We're fine. After that attack a general alert was sent out by Benton. He told us that all the known companions have been taken to safety. Mentioned that the Jones clan was being rounded up as best they could manage." Rose chuckled a bit at the reminder of Jo's larger family that were scattered around the globe. "What about the Doctor? Is he with you?"

Rose swallowed and didn't know what to say. Sarah Jane hadn't told them apparently. Maybe she was in denial. "No," she finally forced out. "I'm solo this time. Can't reach the TARDIS."

"You mean voicemail again?"

"No I mean the TARDIS won't accept the call," Rose answered softly. "He's not meant to be here. Whatever happens… it's on humans."

"Oh," Shareen breathed with a hint of terror. "Rose you can do this. I know you can."

"Thanks," Rose replied feeling a little stronger. "I think I needed to hear that." She paused and looked around again. "I can't talk anymore. I'm trying to stay under the radar. I still don't know who those people were."

"Benton thinks Eclipse," Shareen told her quickly. "They shot one of them and found a suicide capsule."

"He told you that?"

"He said he wasn't supposed to, but thought you might call," Shareen answered. "Careful Rose he's starting to figure you out."

"Right, okay so Torchwood is trying to strong arm the British government, probably to protect their own secrets and Eclipse are probably the ones meddling with the UN."

"Be careful," Shareen begged. "I mean it Rose, be careful."

"I will be. Love you and do your best to look after my mum."

"Well do," Shareen promised. "Stay safe Rose."

Hanging up the phone, Rose slipped out of the phone booth and began to walk back towards their little base as quickly as she could. No one paid her any mind and Rose hoped it stayed that way as she thought over everything that Shareen had told her.

…

It was hard not to pace. Clem was awake but was distant as he looked nervously towards the window. Every so often his nose flared and Rose couldn't help but wonder what he was smelling. The silence in the building was almost oppressive in contrast to the sounds of life outside.

"Rose, there is a transmission on the situation from Thames House," Spock told her as the small screen flickered on.

Harriet was seated at an impressive looking desk, looking cool and confident, but Rose could see signs of stress. "In light of what's happening with our children, we've temporarily closed the schools effective tomorrow morning," Harriet announced to the world. "As a further precaution, we have introduced a temporary curfew for everyone under the age of eighteen. Keep your children at home where they'll be safe. The curfew takes effect immediately and will continue until further notice. But rest assured, we're doing everything in our power to find out what's going on, to safeguard our children and all the people of this nation. In the meantime, we are asking everyone to stay calm and to go about your lives as normal. We have not yet determined if this event is a threat and are exploring all avenues open to us. The public will be informed as we learn more and until then I ask you to remain calm and look after yourselves and each other." Harriet took in a deep breath before adding, "I thank you, for your trust, and for your faith."

Rose almost rolled her eyes at the calm and clearly canned speech. It lacked Harriet's sharpness and fire: the two things that Rose had always liked most about her as Prime Minister.

"Spock," Rose called, "See if you can connect with Harriet's office. Her computer if possible. I think we need to check in on what is going on at Thames House."

"As you wish," Spock intoned softly. "I'll see what I can do."

Then it was silence again and Rose bit her bottom lip. There was nothing she could and she was beginning to feel a nervous itch at the back of her neck. She felt like a filthy mess and the banana she'd had earlier hadn't managed to completely sate her hunger.

"I'm connected to her computer," Spock announced. "A message to her on the screen has indicated that it is you how wishes to speak with her privately. We have to wait."

Rose was about to whine about how long that would take when the screen suddenly changed. The image of Harriet Jones with Ganesh standing behind her sprang to life through the web cameras.

"Rose," Harriet sigh, relaxing her shoulders in visible relief on the small screen. "Where are you- wait no don't answer that. Are you safe?"

"I'm fine," Rose assured her. "But what more can you tell me, Harriet? No one can really talk to me right now it seems."

"It's a bloody nightmare. Everyone is covering up something. Torchwood and some of the old civil service clearly know something." Harriet thudded her fist on the table. "They even tried to declare you a terrorist after that business on Bannerman Road. I was able to stop that."

"Thank you," Rose told her quickly.

"Yes but you're still wanted for questioning," Harriet told her. "So while the police won't be out hunting for you, they are supposed to be looking for you."

"Did Torchwood request that?"

"I believe so," Harriet swallowed. "Oh, Rose I'm just not sure what to do. A special tank has been built. The aliens will be here any moment. I want to believe it is peaceful, that they used the children so they didn't surprise us but…"

"Harriet years ago these aliens were given a small group of kids. Not sure why, but they've been here before. I can confirm that."

"And they took children?" Harriet asked sharply. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Rose promised, glancing towards Clem in the corner who was beginning to rock himself. "That's probably what someone is trying to cover up. What about on your end? Have you got anything useful?"

"I had Ganesh retrieve a few things for me," Harriet told her carefully. "Nothing too fancy and I can't enter the room."

"What? Why?" Rose questioned, suddenly confused.

Harriet sighed, suddenly sounding very old and tired. "These aliens came to Britain and communicated with us, but of course other countries want a say in what happens. It's a diplomatic nightmare so to avoid usurping anyone else's authority no world leaders enter the room directly."

"Then how is this happening?"

"The British Civil service and… Torchwood is heading up the negotiations," Ganesh answered carefully with a grimace.

"Oh, I wish you hadn't said that," Rose muttered. "I feel sick."

"I was able to insist on video feeds for world leaders in the room," Harriet reassured her. "Cameras stream the events to us though we don't speak. It's a mess, but at least I'm not completely in the dark."

"Is Hartman there herself?" Rose found herself asking nervously.

"No, not so far. She's sent one of her executives. He's got a history in the civil service and marketing."

"Sounds like a dangerous combination," Rose muttered. "I don't like this Harriet."

"I don't either," Harriet agreed. "But surely you need more information at this point."

"Yeah," Rose sighed, unable to argue. "Without any description or name Spock and I really don't know who we're dealing with." Rose breathed out slowly. "What about Enterprise? Any sign of a ship in orbit?"

"Nothing so far," Harriet answered sadly. "We've been scanning, but they are well hidden. Close enough to transmit signals and transmat."

"Spock could find them if he had all his sensors," Rose groaned. "Bloody hell!" She shook her head and sighed. "When does this all start?"

"In only a few minutes," Harriet answered her with a nervous clenching of her fingers.

There was sound from the other room and Harriet looked up from the camera quickly. There was a muffled voice and Rose couldn't breathe out of worry of being discovered. It was almost comical, the idea of the Prime Minster getting in trouble for talking to her, but her faith and confidence was beginning to wane.

"Oh course," Harriet answered with a nod. "I'll switch on the feed. Thank you." Harriet looked up at Ganesh. "You ready?"

"Oh course Prime Minister," Ganesh agreed with a deep nod before vanishing from the screen. A moment later there was the sound of a door closing.

"Ganesh is carrying a small recording device in a pin," Harriet told her quietly as the sound of fingers on a keyboard reached her. "Just in case anyone tries to cut off the feed of the cameras." There was more typing. "Okay, Rose I'm going to share my screen with you. You'll see what I see."

The screen changed a moment later, flickering to black before turning on once more to show a fancy looking large room. Rose was completely still as she heard the movement of people around the camera. There was a faint humming sound that was growing louder and making Rose nervous. She risked a look at Clem, wondering if she should let him keep listening. The screen in front of her flickered and Rose straightened up sharply.

The feed was crystal clear, bringing Rose the full sight of the conference room. Some sort of large tank had been built into the far side of the room beyond a short table. It was filled with greenish gas that Rose could barely make anything out through thanks to the distance between the camera and the tank.

Then something shifted in the smoke and something, unlike anything Rose, had ever seen before appeared at the edge of the tank. It was a large creature with three heads. Rose sucked in a sharp breath. Finally, they were looking at the mysterious 456.

….Coming Soon: Daughter of Earth….


	42. Daughter of the World: The Hit

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-Two: Daughter of the World: The Hit

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose was grateful that Clem was asleep as she stared at the alien. "Spock, take an image and try to identify," she whispered lowly as if they could hear her through the stream. Spock said nothing in response, but Rose knew he had followed the order.

Rose looked over at Clem and lightly bit her bottom lip. She forced herself to take a slow breath and did her best to push the fear and growing panic away. No matter what the Doctor said her rule one was and would always be: don't panic. Then a man Rose didn't know moved forward towards the tank. He was tall and dressed in a suit with black hair peppered with grey. She felt a note of dread in her stomach and glanced towards Clem. What if he woke up to this?

"Thank you," the man said as he turned towards the camera allowing Rose to see that he was partially of Indian heritage though he wasn't familiar from her knowledge of world leaders or Torchwood. "If I might bring into session the first diplomatic congress between the representatives of Planet Earth and the representatives of the 456. I bring you formal greetings from the United States of America, from the People's Republic of China. From the Holy See of Vatican City, from the Russian Federation and associated territories. Of Australia, from the provinces and territories (gap as we switch to and from the warehouse) and Japan, and the Hellenic Republic, from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq, from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. And it must be stated on the record that any country not named herein does not indicate their withdrawal from this event."

Rose nearly rolled her eyes. Sure the leaders of the world were watching, but there was an alien with potentially hostile intentions. Was this really the time? Still the video and audio were very clear and Rose was pleased Harriet had managed to force the issue on the system.

"We have a formal request to make," the speaker said. "We ask you not to use our children for communication. In case certain parties or territories might consider that a violation. Is that acceptable?"

There was a long pause and then through what sounded like speaker came, "Yes."

"We've prepared a document summarising our culture and history. This document can be made available to you immediately, though its format remains undetermined. Said format remains of your choosing, though this does not constitute a request for information on or transfer of specific 456 technology." A woman stepped forward to hand a piece of paper to the man. "I have been given a request for specific information. It has been asked why the 456 chose Great Britain as its chosen point of embarkation."

"We came here," came the response before a long pause. "You have no significance. You are middlemen."

"That's a lie!" Rose hissed, glaring at the screen. "You came here before… oh, Torchwood you got them to lie," Rose grumbled, glaring at the man leading the talk. He was Torchwood, she had no doubt of that now. "Bloody Hartman."

"We have a request," the 456 intoned.

"By all means," the mysterious Torchwood man agreed.

"We want a gift."

"Of course. But what nature of gift exactly?"

"We want your children," the 456 announced as tentacles struck the side of the tank. "We will take your children."

"I'm sorry, I think that there might be a problem with the translation."

"They'll take them," Clem whispered from the corner. Rose looked up in alarm. He was awake and staring at the back of the screen with tears in his eyes. "They'll take them like before."

"Clem-"

"By children, you mean-" the Torchwood man started to say.

"Your descendants. The offspring of the Human race," the 456 said.

"How many?" the man asked carefully.

"Ten percent. We want ten percent. We want ten percent of the children of this world."

There was total silence in the room. The Torchwood man inhaled sharply, but his features were otherwise blank and Rose narrowed her eyes. The demand wasn't unexpected even if the number was. Ten percent, her mind threatened to shut down at the mere idea of the number. And what for?

"Spock?" Rose called softly, almost afraid that they'd be able to hear her. "Identification?"

"No certain match, but the most likely a member of the Qreiz'elt species," Spock answered gently. "I've matched the record of the contents of the tank to the atmosphere of Qreiz and the physical description is also a match."

"What do you know about them? Weaknesses?"

"I'm afraid my records of the Qreiz'elt are very limited. There was a revolution on the planet thirty years ago that cut them off from communication with other species. Many members of the old government were banished. I have no information on the current government."

"So the government that potentially negotiated with humans before isn't in power anymore," Rose muttered thoughtfully. She watched the Torchwood man walk to the side of the room and accept another note. "That means something. So is this from the current government or someone from the old government? Spock do you know what they would use the children for?" Rose questioned.

"No data currently."

"Why did the revolution occur?"

"Corruption is the primary motivation on record. Apparently, there was a series of assassinations due to some asset," Spock answered. "I have nothing beyond that."

"We need to upgrade your records," Rose sighed, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm afraid I can only collect information from ship computers I can contact," Spock reminded her. "And the Qreiz'elt ship is well hidden."

There was movement on camera again and Rose turned her attention back to the conference room. Another note was brought in and handed to the Torchwood man. He read it with a too calm expression on his face.

"Before we consider your request, I've been asked for a point of clarification. Before we even discuss your, your request, we need to know exactly what it is you intend to do with the children."

Rose was thankful that someone somewhere actually cared about that. Then she shivered. This was making her far too cynical.

"Somebody is watching," the Qreiz'elt ambassador suddenly said. "Some remnant."

"It knows I'm here," Clem cried out beside her, sliding back from the camera. "It knows!"

"It couldn't," Rose assured him gently. "We're watching through the same connection Harriet's using. There's just the one camera in the room."

"You do not wish to know," the Qreiz'elt said sharply.

"We must know why you want the children," the Torchwood man insisted, finally looking uneasy.

"Come in," the Qreiz'elt answered.

"Pardon?"

"Your camera, come in."

Rose frowned at the screen and watched as the Torchwood man shifted over to the side of the room. Another note was handed to him and he nodded. Then he turned directly to the screens and stepped a bit closer, finally letting Rose see him up close. He was attractive in a way, carried himself like a solicitor in the courtroom and Rose didn't like him at all.

"Ladies and gentleman a cameraman is preparing to enter the 456 tank. I request that you are all patient."

There was real worry on his face and Rose wondered just what the plan here was to Torchwood. They were still trying to cover up what had happened before, but thanks to Harriet finally getting her way and using the pressure of foreign leaders to put a camera in place there was a limit to what they could hide.

…

Rose was watching the camera man get into his hazmat suit when Clem shifted and groaned. Her eyes jumped to him as he opened his. There was a moment of confusion on his face and then he began to sit up. Rose gave him a smile that probably didn't reach her eyes.

"Hello, Clem." She gestured towards the screen. "We have a visual of the alien talks. Spock identified them as the Qreiz'elt."

"Qreiz'elt isn't it." Clem shuddered and looked horrified, but he shifted over next to her. "What's happening?"

"The Qreiz'elt are letting someone go into the tank," Rose explained and the camera suddenly zoomed in on the tank.

Clem inhaled sharply at the sight of the three heads. Rose reached over and grabbed his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Then the screen changed again as the cameraman's equipment took over and they began to move into the tank through a special airlock system.

"He's safe isn't it?"

"Uh yeah, he's in a hazmat suit. The aliens don't breathe oxygen like us."

"Air content stabilised," someone off screen announced.

The airlock opens and the cameraman enters the containment chamber. All around them the thick green smoke made visibility poor.

"Like a bad fog day in London," Rose joked weakly.

"We're getting three heartbeats," she heard someone say over the microphone.

"One for each head?" the Torchwood man questioned.

"No, there's, there are three distinct forms of life in there."

"Get a better look," the Torchwood man ordered and Rose felt a jolt of sympathy for the poor man carrying the camera. He started to follow a plastic tube away from the Qreiz'elt only to stop short.

It was a child, a preteen base on his size. A heavy mask covered his face. His head was shaved and his eyes stared into the camera, completely unseeing.

"No!" Clem screamed, frantically shaking his head. "No! No! No!"

Turning quickly, Rose hugged Clem to keep him from causing any damage to the interface. He trembled in his arms and began to sob into her shoulder. Rose made a soft soothing sound as she listened to the cameraman retreat as the Torchwood man tried to calm every down.

"We do not harm the children. They feel no pain. They live long beyond their years." The Qreiz'elt's voice washed over Rose and she shivered. That was one of the original children then, someone Clem's age and yet.

"No no no," Clem chanted around his shudders.

"We have answered your question," the Qreiz'elt announced. "You have one day to select and deliver your ten percent."

"It's happening again," Clem cried out, half collapsing against Rose.

She ran her fingers through his short white hair in an attempt to calm him. Clem's trembling was worse than ever and she waited for something more to be said or happen. If there'd been communication with the world leaders directly to the room she had no doubt that it would all be a violent screaming match, instead, it was stone cold silence.

A note was handed to the Torchwood man who coughed lightly and approached the tank. "I have been requested to ask what will prevent us from destroying you."

"We are superior. You yielded in the past. You will do so again."

"There is a staggering number of children you are demanding. The response of parents across the globe will be violence."

"The human infant mortality rate is twenty-nine thousand one hundred and fifty-eight deaths per day. Every three seconds, a child dies. The human response is to accept and adapt."

There was another terrifying pause and Rose felt a pressure at the sides of her head again. Shaking her head, she focused on the screen. Inside the tank, the Qreiz'elt thrashed and vomit splashed across the inside of the tank.

"The remnant still watches."

"Isn't it? It knows I'm watching," Clem all but screamed, scooting fearfully back.

The Qreiz'elt began emitting a high pitched sound and the pressure in Rose's head spiked. Gritting her teeth she looked at Clem as he suddenly screamed. "The remnant will be disconnected."

Clem started to convulse, his eyes going blank and distant even as Rose cradled his head between her hands. She grabbed the blanket and padded it up under his head as he screamed in agony. Brushing some of his hair from his eyes, Rose whispered soft random things to him before reaching down to grab his hand. Blood began to flow of his ears, staining the yellow blanket with vicious lines of blood.

"Spock! Can you do anything?" Rose begged as the pressure in her head grew and her fear for Clem took over. "Spock!"

"I'm sorry Rose," Spock said softly. "I can't block the signal. They're using the connection to destroy him."

Rose trembled as Clem's body kept shaking. Blood trickled out of his nose and ears, running down his face. His grip on her hand tightened and a soft sob escaped Rose.

"I'm sorry," Rose whispered to him. "I'm so sorry Clem. I'll save them. I promise. I won't let them suffer like you did."

Then the shaking stopped and Clem was still. Another sob escaped Rose and she became aware of the tears running down her cheek. With his head on her lap, it was awkward, but Rose gingerly leaned down to kiss the old man's forehead. It was so unfair and cruel. Her fingers moved to check his pulse, but there was nothing. She checked for any sign of air coming in or out of his nose and mouth, but all was still. He was gone.

"They can do that to anyone they're connected to?" Rose asked softly as she shifted back. Carefully she set Clem's head on the floor. She reached for a blanket and began to drape it over his body. "So they could kill every child on Earth if they wanted to."

"I suspect so," Spock agreed darkly. "I recorded the signal they used to…"

"Execute him, Spock," Rose said. "Let's call it what it was."

"Yes, I recorded the signal. It may be of use."

"Or we could find a way of scrambling it."

"I'm afraid that even in my usual interface I would need several satellites to scramble the signal around the world," Spock informed her.

"I see," Rose brought her knees up to her chest and rested her head against her knees. "Why are they doing this Spock? That many children they must have a huge ship hidden somewhere close. They came here specifically to leave with a huge number of kids so what do they do with them?" Rose frowned. "These Qreiz'elt don't need them to live right?"

The door crashed open and Harriet Jones strode angrily into the room with Ganesh at her heels making Rose look back at the screen. The Torchwood man moved to intercept her with a stern expression as a pair of guards trailed after Harriet, clearly at a loss of what they were supposed to do. Rose almost smiled at the sight.

"Prime Minster," the Torchwood man protested. "It was agreed that no world leader would set foot in the room and that the Civil Service would handle it."

"That agreement has rather gone out the window as our 'guests' are demanding that we hand over ten percent of the children of the world to them or be destroyed," Harriet replied sharply. She took a step forward and the Torchwood man stepped in front of her only to get an icy look. "Get out of my way Henderson. Your office has done more than enough and you can go and tell your boss that I will have everything on my desk within two hours."

Harriet didn't wait for a response. She stepped around him and approached the tank, taking out her identification card and holding it up. "Harriet Jones, Prime Minster of the United Kingdom. As your my 'guests' then I will ask the question that everyone seems too afraid to. Why do you want our children?"

"The hit." The Qreiz'elt answered evenly.

"I beg your pardon, the hit?"

"The hit," the Qreiz'elt repeated. "They create chemicals. The chemicals are good."

Rose gasped, her stomach twisting with a horrible realisation. Unbidden her eyes jumped over to Clem's covered body and it was all she could do to keep from becoming physically ill.

"Good in what way?" Harriet asked carefully and Rose could tell that she feared the worst.

"We feel good. The chemicals are good."

"You're using our children, our future as drugs?" Harriet gasped in horror.

"Yes."

"Then that boy in there… that's all he is to you. That's all any of them are."

"They make us feel good. Give us the children or we will destroy you and take them all."

There was a moment of stillness and Harriet stood completely straight. "Then I request an additional three days. Ten percent of children is a staggering number. We need more time to move them all. Earth has many governments and we will all have to communicate and organise on never before seen scale."

Rose frowned at the screen and waited for the reply. "No."

"Two days then," Harriet countered. "One additional day."

"Thirty-six hours."

Rose bit her lip, slightly more time, but would it be enough? Her eyes moved to Clem and she shuddered as she whole body tensed. Tears pricked at her eyes, but then the screen went dark. The negotiations were over.

"What am I supposed to do Spock?"

He didn't answer. Rose didn't expect him to. Harriet may have stood up and bought them another twelve hours, but Clem was lying dead only a few feet away from her. Torchwood in a desperate attempt to protect themselves and their probable early trade with the 456 had limited the British government. Eclipse was probably behind the attempt to kill her and was trying to take advantage of the fear and chaos. If the 456 got what they wanted and ten percent of the children of Earth were taken it would near anger and certainly revolts. No matter what the governments tried to say or do to cover it up. Perfect for Eclipse and devastating for Earth. She needed to stop this now, but she didn't have any idea of what to do.


	43. Daughter of the World: Stack the Deck

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-Three: Daughter of the World: Stack the Deck

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

With shaking movements, Rose packed Spock's interface with the backpack and carefully set his crystal form at the very top. Around her the thrum of the city was reassuring, but Rose was certain people must have heard Clem screaming. Her eyes moved over to the covered form and after a moment of hesitation Rose pulled back the blanket. They didn't need to know that a second person had been here. Clem's eyes were closed as if sleeping, but the dried blood around his ears and nose ruined the illusion. Rose stood up and almost fell over at the weight of the backpack. None the less she lingered for a moment.

"I'm so sorry Clem," she told him gently.

She didn't linger anymore. Rose rushed down the stairs and out the back, almost falling over at the additional weight. Hopefully, she wouldn't need to run. Moving quickly, Rose marched out onto the main street and headed for the red phone booth. Rose opened the phone booth with a sharp tug and stepped inside. It felt a lot like being trapped as she set the backpack on the ground and rolled her shoulders. Outside the booth, people were moving about living their lives, but several were glancing up at the sky fearfully. This was really and truly the day that human finally accepted they weren't alone. She dug into her pocket and pulled out some change and the phone number she'd gotten from Spock before packing him up.

"Canary Wharf-"

"This is Rose Tyler. I need to speak with Hartman immediately." Rose looked around outside the phone booth again nervously.

"I'm sorry but-"

"This is not the day to play this game, especially not with me," Rose growled, tightening her hold on the phone. "I need to speak with Hartman."

"One moment Miss Tyler."

There was a soft beep and then two rings. Rose exhaled slowly and rubbed her eyes for a moment. She could feel her temper beginning to fray.

"Rose this really isn't a good time," Hartman's too chipper voice greeted. "If you're like to set up an appointment-"

"Don't Hartman, not today. I need to know exactly what Torchwood did in 1965."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"That remnant that the alien was talking about was a child that they left behind. He was still connected to them. I found him and they just killed him so don't play games with me."

"You know that I couldn't possibly-"

"Damnit Hartman," Rose hissed at the woman. "Turn on the news! Look around! Torchwood caused this and I need information to fix it. Tell me what happened!"

"That's classified!"

"Hartman if you have any love for our species then tell me," Rose pressed almost frantically. "This isn't about the U.K. or even Europe. This is about aliens turning our planet into opium fields, using us and our children for a hit!"

There was a long pause on the other end of the call and then a resigned sigh. "I never told you this," Hartman answered in a long voice. There was the sound of a door being closed and keystrokes. "I'm not sure what information the Prime Minister has passed on to you and honestly it's best if you don't reveal to me how much she violates the rules." Rose barely held but a huff of frustration. "The 456 as they are known due to the frequency they first used to contact humanity came to Earth in 1965. It was probably their first visit, but I can't say that for certain. The British government at the time negotiated with the aliens through Torchwood for the anti-virus for a mutated strain of Spanish influenza."

"Negotiated in exchange for what?" Rose pressed, not liking Hartman's staling.

"The virus was projected to kill millions by the aliens and British analysts agreed so they were given twelve children."

"Twelve children?" Rose gasped. "You gave aliens you knew nothing about children!"

"I didn't," Hartman countered quickly. "The 456 assured the Torchwood team that the children would not be harmed and that they wouldn't return to Earth."

"Well they haven't kept that promise," Rose all but growled as she closed her eyes. "And the children?"

"They were delivered to the 456 by Andrew Staines, Ellen Hunt, Michael Sanders, Peter Sawyer and Maria Higgins handled the exchange."

"Have you contacted them?"

"Sawyer and Higgins killed themselves not long after," Hartman replied. "The others are also deceased."

"Do you know anything useful about them?" Rose pressed. "Any weaknesses?"

"We've never had much contact with them," Hartman reminded her shortly. "So no, we know next to nothing about them and we've been scanning the skies, but still can't find the ship." There was a long pause on the other end. "Any chance you got a message out to one of your aliens?"

"No," Rose answered honestly and bit coldly, knowing full well that Hartman was fishing for news on the Doctor. "Thanks to that attack on my home I don't have what I need for a true long distance call. This is on us."

"Well have you got a plan?"

Rose stayed silent, not wanting to admit that she didn't have anything yet. She looked down at the heavy backpack at her feet and barely held back a sigh. "I'll try to be in touch Hartman. If you really want to help then stop getting in the British government's way."

The sound of sirens made Rose tense and she looked carefully down the street. Sure enough two police cars pulled up. Someone came out of a nearby building and pointed up. Rose was certain that only the crisis with the children had kept them from getting here sooner. She opened the phone booth and hefted the backpack up onto her shoulders. Walking away from the sirens, Rose tried to get lost in the crowd and began looking around for a new location to set up Spock.

Pulling out her phone, Rose scrolled down the list. Suddenly she was angry herself for having no way to contact the Durmino Empire or the Orthans. With Spock disconnected from his main interface, they had no way to reach out far enough. Then the name Eve came up and Rose froze. She pressed the call button before she could change her mind, but when she brought the phone to her ear there was nothing but static. Apparently, the TARDIS not taking her calls also meant that the Old Girl wouldn't direct them either.

Sighing in frustration, Rose put her phone away and gripped tightly at the backpack strap. She could still hear sirens behind her and grimaced at the idea of them finding Clem all alone with no explanations. When this was all over she'd step in. She kept moving, staying on foot for over an hour until she felt she'd put enough distance that it wouldn't be too easy to find her. Rose pulled out the sonic pen and began zapping the cameras around her and scanned nearby buildings.

She found one on the third side street she checked: an empty office space up on the third floor of a nearby building with a sign marking it available for rent in the window. Unlike the other, it lacked a decent washroom, but beggars couldn't be choosers and Rose once again had to wager her safety on everyone being distracted by the aliens. The sonic pen, however, wasn't able to do anything with the simple lock and Rose was forced to take the fire escape. She made a mental note to pull out her old lock picks. It wouldn't be too hard to stash at least a few of the tools in her boots.

The office space was small, barely more than a closet in a rather dirty and poorly maintained building, but there was an internet signal at the pub down the street. It didn't take long this time to get Spock set up. With all the pieces she needed in her possession, Rose unfolded the metal frame and snapped the various components into place. She plugged in the power cord before gently lowering Spock into the centre. The lights began to flash and blinked in an unfamiliar pattern before the speakers came online.

"Systems are functioning, Rose," Spock announced.

"Good, I think we'll be okay here for awhile. I got some information from Torchwood, but sadly I trust that it isn't Hartman hunting us, though I'm sure she'd love to get her hands on you. But right now, she's got bigger problems."

"And we have a deadline."

The reminded made Rose's whole body tense. Harriet had only been able to get them a few extra hours and they still had no plan.

"Okay conventional weapons aren't much good here. The Qreiz'elt in Thames House is probably only one of several so an attack there won't achieve much." Rose sighed and rubbed her neck. "So far they'd hidden their ship from all our sensors and Enterprise so they do have fairly advanced tech and know all about us since they've had children to… study." Rose swallowed at the bitter reminder of why they wanted the children. "I'm half tempted to go back to Sarah Jane's and see if your interface is intact. If we could call help that might scare them off."

"But they have the planet hostage," Spock countered. "By the time anyone arrived the Qreiz'elt would certainly know about their approach. At this point, I doubt they would stand down even for the Shadow Proclamation. Seeding a planet like Earth is illegal and using it an opium field is even worse. The longer this goes on the more I am inclined to believe these may be members of the deposed government."

"And they're taking the children for what? Personal use or to sell to their home planet's dark underside."

"Give the number they are demanding the second seems more likely."

"Okay so a direct attack and calling for help are both out. They must have some weakness. We know they are at least a little telepathic. We know what they need in an atmosphere, but what else is there?" Rose hummed thoughtfully and glanced towards Spock. "Anything new?"

"I am reviewing communications. Now that the negotiations are over various governments are taking stock of the children they have. I'm afraid that there is debate in how to select the 10%. Reports on the status of children are being uploaded."

Rose nodded. She wanted to ask more, demand more, but she knew that Spock needed time. While his fantastic crystal structure could process information at a terrifying rate it all still had to be mentally sorted and understood. Sitting down, Rose leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. Outside she could hear the thrum of London and tapped her fingers nervously.

Eclipse was out there somewhere. Her mum was with UNIT, for now at least and hopefully, Benton would keep the protective custody quiet for now. She didn't need pressure from the United Nations to throw them out. Then again, she mentally conceded, that might show their hand more than they wanted to. Rose bumped her head back against the wall. Why did humans in search of power have to be so crazy? She hated having no idea of what to expect.

They weren't the biggest danger though, no they were just positioning themselves to take advantage of the chaos. Hartman's horror at the demand had shaken her normal resolve and she wondered if Eclipse's leadership would be similarly affected. That was probably too much to hope for. She couldn't mount a frontal assault on the Qreiz'elt by herself and it probably wouldn't lead to anything except injury and death for her. Enterprise couldn't find their ship and honestly it was probably further out in the solar system then they could reach, plus the ship had no weapons systems. She desperately needed something clever and very quickly.

"Rose," Spock called gently, pulling Rose from her musings. "It may not be anything, but I've found something odd."

"Odd? Right now?" Rose asked sarcastically before sighing and giving herself a shake. "Sorry, yeah what is it?"

"Cities and countries are currently reporting numbers of children affected by the aliens to the United Nations," Spock explained in something of a rush to her. "I've been examining these numbers in hopes of finding an area where the influence is weaker. While I can confirm that the signal is affecting children all over the world, I've also found that some numbers aren't what they should be. When cross referencing the numbers coming out of Berlin with the population statistics I found that even allowing for families who are not reporting affected children that Berlin is at least one thousand children short."

"One thousand?" Rose repeated in confusion. "Berlin?" She straightened up in surprise and gasped softly. "Berlin!"

"Rose?"

"The aliens, the Bardonians! They were making the kids telepathic to harvest the energy, but these aliens are affecting all the kids regardless of if they're telepathic!"

"I do not-"

"What if being telepathic actually protects you from this signal?" Rose suggested, jumping to her feet and wringing her hands together. "Or at least having been telepathically affected in the past. This signal has to be general and targeted at brain chemistry. Maybe once a person is affected by telepathy, especially at a young age when their brain is still developing, it alters the brain chemistry just enough. Or what if…" she paused and breathed out slowly. "What if the telepathic system Alistair and Adam created is still having a lingering protective effect on them."

"Who are Alistair and Adam?" Spock questioned, but Rose was too excited to answer him.

"It's a long shot, but actually Alistair seemed to be answering my questions and explaining telepathy really carefully. And they left the device on Earth, why would they do that unless they knew that I'd need it in only a couple of months!?" She tugged on her TARDIS key and grinned. "I might have to play this hand myself, but Time Lords can still stack the deck! Of course, they would do that, they're Time Lords!"

"I'm not certain what you are talking about, but how can I help?"

Rose laughed out loud, some of the tension finally released. She leaned against the wall and gasped for air, feeling a flare of hope and excitement. Turning her head back towards Spock she grinned. She wanted to caution herself not to get too excited in case it didn't work, but her instincts were screaming she was right about this. It was just the sort of thing that a child of her and the Doctor would do. Exactly the sort of thing she and the Doctor would do.

"This falls under 'do not talk about' orders," Rose told him as she knelt down. "Alistair is my future son with the Doctor and Adam is his son. In Berlin when that telepathic attack was happening they build a telepathic hub and left it on Earth. Alistair mentioned that it was genetically locked. At the time I assumed that meant only he and Adam could use it-"

"But as your son you would also have genetic similarity with this Alistair," Spock finished. "It does sound promising Rose, but an item like that if left on Earth would be in the hands of UNIT. Most likely in the Black Archives. And UNIT is not permitted to interfere in the 456 Crisis anymore."

"Right… bugger." Rose refused to give up. "Well I can't promise anything, but I'm pretty sure I know a man who could help us. He retired not too long ago. Sorry Spock, but change of plans we're packing up and moving again!"

…..

Rose eased the back door open and glanced around. The back alley was empty and there was only the low rumble of London around her. She stepped outside and let the door click behind her as she adjusted the straps of the backpack. First things first she needed transportation. The Lethbridge-Stewart house was a good ways outside of London and going on foot wasn't an option. Hopefully, Harriet would help her later avoid any legal entanglements. It wouldn't be the first time she'd stolen a car in the line of duty.

The sound of heavy footfalls made Rose tense. "Spread out," a male voice ordered. "Cameras saw her in this area before she used her sonic probe. This is the last sector to search."

"What if we don't find her?"

"Then you get to explain to the Council how we missed our chance to quietly get rid of Tyler and after the failure at Bannerman Road to even get a hostage they're already angry."

Rose froze in place, her heart beginning to race in her chest. She didn't know the voice, but the tone was low and dangerous. Kneeling down in the doorway, Rose held her breath and listened to the footfalls and voices as more orders were given. They were spreading out and dividing out who would check which blocks.

Carefully, Rose peered out from around the corner and swallowed. Two black SUVs were parked nearby and a group of rough looking humans in long coats were disassembling. They weren't in tactical gear this time, but Rose was certain that there were weapons beneath those coats. Bracing herself against the wall, Rose began to move slowly in the opposite direction. There was another side street leading out of the area and she just needed to get there without too much noise.

She was almost there when the footfalls came closer. Rose put on a burst of speed, but the weight of the backpack threw her off balance and she stumbled into a bin.

"Got her!"

Rose dove to the side, almost falling over thanks to the backpack as the sound of a gun firing behind her made her flinch. A sharp pain in her arm made Rose squeak in pain, but she kept moving despite the weight on her back. Behind her, there was another burst of gunfire and the people in the street started to scattered. Rose ducked into another side street and kept running. Up ahead were a couple of cars parked on the side of the street and a motorcycle.

Rose swung her leg over the motorcycle, ignoring a nearby shout of protest. Pulling out the sonic pen, she started the bike up with a quick flick. The engine sputtered slightly, warning Rose that the sonic start wouldn't last long. Behind her, the shouting was louder, but she roared away from the curb on the bike with Spock's weight pressing her forward.

Turning sharply on the next two corners, Rose tried to keep an eye out for more cameras, but it proved to be too difficult while racing through traffic. The wind whipped through her hair and she had to squint against the sun. Unwilling to stop, Rose weaved between cars and started her way out of London. Her best chance, her only chance was to get to the General before anyone else did.


	44. Daughter of the World: Black Archives

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-Four: Daughter of the World: Black Archives

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose pulled the sputtering bike over into the car park of one of the box stores on the edge of London and groaned. Her left side and arm were aching and her back felt ready to collapse under the weight of Spock's bag. People were coming and going from scattered cars and on foot from the nearby train station. She carefully dismounted the bike and hissed in pain when her right arm caught on the handlebars. Rose's left hand was shaking and she looked down in alarm. Dried blood had seeped down over her hand without her even noticing in the rush of adrenaline during her escape.

Looking around nervously, Rose forced herself to breathe deeply. There was a jolt of pain in her arm and along her side, that sent a rush of fear and near panic through Rose. Pulling out her sonic pen, Rose pointed it up towards the mounted cameras and waited a moment. She told herself to start moving and headed for a nearby car parked on the edge of the car park in what she thought might be a dead spot in the camera feed. With the sonic pen, she unlocked the driver's side door and carefully took off the backpack. Putting in on the passenger side seat, Rose all but collapsed into the driver's side and closed the door.

She reached down and pulled out the panelling below the steering wheel and found the correct wires. Pressing them together a few times, Rose sighed in relief when the engine roared to life. No one in the car park came running over and she decided to risk a few more moments. She shifted carefully and looked down at her left side.

Her jacket was ripped open with a long dark slice across the skin of her arm which made Rose frown. It looked more like a blade wound rather than a bullet and judging from the stickiness on her coat arm it was the source of the blood. She carefully pulled the fabric away from the wound, grimacing as it tugged at the painful skin. It needed cleaning and bandaging. It would probably scar, but it wasn't life threatening. Shifting again, Rose slipped her right hand along her right side. She found another hole in the coat, but rather than a blade wound there was a short burning patch of skin.

"Got knifed and shot and didn't notice," Rose said. She almost laughed.

The bullet line was already cauterised and while it ached it also wasn't life threatening. Sighing in relief, Rose shook her head and carefully pulled on her seatbelt before shifting the car into drive. It was small, a few years old and wouldn't attract much attention. Rose steered it carefully out of the car park, hoping to avoid drawing any attention to herself. Once again no one came out yelling and as she pulled up to the traffic light, she took a moment to get her bearing and resumed her journey, ignoring the dried blood still covering her left hand.

…..

Rose ditched the car on a small side road about a mile from the Lethbridge-Stewart house by driving it carefully into a small patch of trees. It wouldn't hide it long, but hopefully long enough that she could get to her destination without Eclipse on her back. She loaded Spock's backpack up again and started walking through the small forested area that separated the Lethbridge-Stewart house from a nearby farming field.

The Lethbridge-Stewart house was an imposing old brick building surrounded by well-tended gardens and an impressive wrought iron fence. To an untrained eye, it probably looked like any other old country house, but Rose couldn't help but note the brutal sharp points at the tops of the metal fence and the heavy front gate. This place had a couple extra points of protection and the only thing that kept Rose from smiling was the ache in her left side.

There were three SUVs parked in the front drive that Rose could see from her place at the side of the house. She eyed the fence carefully before she carefully began to climb. Her coat caught on the spikes despite Rose's best effort to avoid them and another sliced into her right arm. Rose grimaced but stayed silent as she half shrugged out of her coat, keeping a tight hold of her shoulder bag. She used the fabric to form a sort of rope and lowered herself down to the ground. Then she pulled the coat down and sighed as a loud rip reached her ears. Rose rolled up the remains and started creeping towards the back of the house.

There were a few guards near the SUVs, but they were keeping an eye on the gate. Rose looked around the house nervously, hoping for a cellar door or an open ground floor window. She didn't have any luck with that but did find a second story window and a wall full of ivy. Rose eyed it carefully and felt her left side flinch in the pain it knew was coming.

It was slow, but she managed to climb up the side of the house inch by inch. The weight of Spock nearly threw her off, but she didn't dare leave him behind. Her fingers gripped the thick vines while her feet sought out ever little ledge provided by the bricks. She grunted and huffed in pain as she gripped the windowsill and pulled herself up. Rose almost fell into the room and froze as she strained her ears, certain that someone was about to come rushing inside. A minute passed and there were no loud noises indicating that she'd been heard. Rose sighed in relief and shrugged out of the backpack. Her back cracked slightly and her muscles ached even as a wave of relief hit Rose.

She looked around quickly. The room looked like a guest bedroom that had just been cleared. The duvet was pulled back and a bottle of cleaner was still sitting on the bedside table. There were some books on the desk against the wall that made Rose assume this was the room Kate's son Gordon stayed in when he visited. Rose dropped the remains of her coat in a nearby trash can and gingerly walked across the wooden floor. As she opened the door to the corridor, Rose could hear voices echoing up from downstairs and nervously moved forward.

People were standing in the main entrance below and Rose could see down through the bannister. The General was standing straight and tall, leaning a little on a cane and glaring at a pair of gentlemen in suits. Pressing herself against the wall, Rose forgot how to breathe as she listened to Alistair and the two unknown men.

"We just need to talk with Tyler," a smooth posh voice insisted. "You may think you're protecting her Sir Alistair, but you're making the situation worse."

"It seems that I lack the proper understanding of the situation," Alistair's voice replied sharply. "My understanding is that Agent Tyler is seeking a solution to the crisis we find ourselves in."

"The British government-"

"Prime Minster Jones is a friend of Agent Tyler's," Alistair reminded them. "I have difficulty believing that she's sent you to arrest Rose."

"Elected Officials are only ever part of the equation," the smooth posh voice replied with a hint of smugness. "You were a solider, Sir Alistair and this is an order."

"I answer to the United Nations," she heard Alistair answer sternly. "As far of the British military is concerned I am retired."

"You have two grandchildren correct?" the second voice questioned and Rose saw red at the subtle threat. "Your grandson Gordon is too old to be affected I believe, but your younger grandson James isn't. Lists are being made General, of children to be protected from being taken. Surely you want to see this crisis come to a safe conclusion for them."

"I haven't seen Tyler," the General answered in an icy calm tone that sent a shiver up Rose's spine. "UNIT was ordered to leave the situation to Torchwood by the Security Council. Whatever Rose is doing she is doing it as a private citizen. She's on the run and I doubt she'll risk coming to me or anyone else for help. For the very reason, you just outlined."

"What can she do on her own?"

"You'd be very surprised," the General replied evenly and Rose almost smiled. "She's one of the only people who has ever scolded me. I'd suggest you work on the crisis your way and let her see what she can do."

"That isn't possible General. Unity is of vital importance now."

"No you being able to cover your arses is what matters most to you," the General all but growled. "You've already barged in, searched my home and now threatened my grandson. I suggest you boys leave before you make me angry. This is a large estate and I've taken up gardening."

Rose almost laughed at the threat. A warm feeling filled her chest despite the fact that her friend was basically suggesting murdering them and burying them in a garden. She risked another look around the corner and saw that at least one of the men looked shaken.

She stayed completely still as the door slammed shut. The house was silent as the sound of car doors slamming outside reached her ears and a moment later the sound of gravel being thrown up could be heard. They were gone, at least for now. A sigh of relief escaped Rose before she thought to contain it.

"Rose that had better be you creeping around up there," Alistair declared a few moments later. Rose's eyes widened when he turned around and looked up towards her. Their eyes locked and a relieved smile crossed his face. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

"Yes sir," Rose answered, rising to her feet only to grimace and clutch her side.

"You're injured?"

"Sliced arm and maybe bullet graze," Rose answered. "Nothing too bad."

"But bad enough." Alistair was already climbing the stairs, worry written on his features.

"Do you know how Kate is?"

"Benton took your mother and friends into protective custody. He's been able to keep them, my grandsons and Kate safe on the basis of not revealing UNIT safe houses, but I'm not sure how long he'll be able to get away with that."

The General took Rose into one of the upper stairs bathrooms. She blushed as she removed her shirt and gripped the edge of the sink to keep still. Her whole left side was aching and Rose was afraid that she had broken something. In the mirror, she could see a long angry line, but limited bruising so she was optimistic. Alistair cleaned the wounds with military efficiently in silence as Rose tried to gather her thoughts.

"We'll bandage then after you clean up," he informed her. "I'll get some of Kate's things. They should fit you and make you something to eat. Then you'll explain where we're at."

"It's about the Black Archives," Rose told him nervously. "I need something inside them."

"Oh." The General inhaled sharply and seemed lost in thought for a moment. "You clean up and catch your breath. I'll start working on the Archives."

Nodding, Rose washed her face in the sink until Alistair returned with a bundle of clothes. His sharp eyes were checking her over and Rose wondered just how bad she looked that he wasn't just demanding explanations. Part of her was urging them to leave at once, but she needed to catch her breath and with any luck, Alistair could track down some information.

She didn't take long, there was too much to do, but just being clean and having the start of a plan helped. When she opened the door a little there was a pile of clothing waiting for her and Rose was struck by how sweet the General could be. Kate was a taller than her so Rose stuck with her own jeans which weren't too dirty, but the fresh shirt was a welcome relief.

Alistair was downstairs in the kitchen and typing away on a laptop much to Rose's surprise. Sandwich makings were spread across the counter and he gestured to them with a stern expression.

"Do you mind if I set up Spock?" Rose questioned as she braided her damp hair.

"No, it's a good idea. Set him up, eat something and then start explaining."

Two sandwiches and three cups of tea later Spock was humming softly on the dining room table as Rose brought Alistair up to speed. With the ban from the UN on UNIT becoming involved apparently even he was having trouble finding anything. There was a lot to cover and thankfully Alistair let Rose get through Torchwood's role, the demands of the alien and the attack by her believed Eclipse before they addressed her current thoughts.

"In Berlin a telepathic hub was used to combat the telepathic abilities of the aliens," Rose explained quickly and Alistair nodded. "Spock found that somehow fewer children in Berlin are being affected."

"And you're linking it to this hub, that seems reasonable, but what are you going to do the hub?" Alistair took a sip of his tea. "As much as I want to see the children safe can you extend the signal around the Earth and even then it won't stop whatever weapons they may have."

"If I may offer a suggestion," Spock spoke up. "Rose in the time you were travelling I've been analysing what we know about the Qreiz'elt and I may have found something." There was a paused. "The signal they used to execute Clem has interesting properties."

"Clem?"

Rose waved Alistair off and focused on Spock. "Interesting how?"

"Judging from their biochemistry it would trigger the same reaction in them as it did in Clem if reserved on them."

"Hold on you're saying the very signal that they're using is deadly to them?" the General demanded, cutting in and looking between Rose and Spock. "That's madness."

"But it may be the only thing that gives them an edge." Rose tapped her fingers thoughtfully against the table. "This group may be exiles, Alistair. Spock's information on the Qreiz'elt says that those in power when the original group of children were taking were overthrown a few years later. This could be them with what limited resources they have."

"Then why demand so many children?"

"Drugs," Rose informed him with a shudder. "The kids are just a hit to them. They could sell them to other Qreiz'elt, maybe even take back power with a commodity like that."

"Bloody Torchwood," Alistair growled. "I knew I should have told the Doctor about them!"

"Why didn't you?"

Alistair sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as he shook his head. "I received a warning from a future Doctor. It was shortly after his third incarnation was found on Earth. I'd recently become aware of Torchwood when he came and warned me to stay quiet about them because the formation and him making enemies of them was in his personal future. Thankfully Her Majesty rather liked the Doctor and told them to stay away from him."

"This future Doctor what did he look like?"

"Older gentleman, at least to me at the time." He frowned and shook his head. "I can't remember details I'm afraid but compared to the Doctor's I've known he was downright normal in appearance. But back to the point. These aliens are weak to this signal?"

"Yes and Spock recorded it when they killed Clem so we have it and with the telepathic hub we might just be able to use it." Rose looked back at Spock. "Start running the numbers, Spock."

"I will do my best, but Rose there is a limit to what I can do without details of the telepathic hub."

"Understood," Rose agreed quickly. "Alistair, what do you think?"

"I think it is a long shot," he admitted carefully. "We know so little, but we can't just sit around and wait to see what they will do." He stood up. "One positive thing about this crisis is that I'm certain UNIT won't be focused on the Black Archive. If this hub is still on Earth that's where it would be."

"Can you help me?"

"I can get you inside the Black Archives," Alistair agreed though he looked nervous.

"How bad is it?"

"We might be shot. It all depends on who is on duty and what is going on." It wasn't reassuring, but Rose nodded. "The real issue is where do you want to try and do this? If we are able to break in and get away with this telepathic hub then you'll still need Spock's help."

Rose's shoulders slumped at little. It was a good point and she chewed at her bottom lip. "You're right. Getting the hub is just step one. I don't remember enough about it to say for certain what we'll need." She glanced around. "And he can't stay here. It's the first place they'll look provided we get away with this."

"Indeed, getting into the Black Archives with my rank is one thing, but getting out with an item is something else completely."

"We'll just have to take him with us," Rose suggested. "While I'd love to make a plan and have him waiting somewhere that just doesn't seem possible."

"Alright, pack him up and let's get going."

Rose sucked in a breath as Alistair finished his tea and stood up. This was it and she would be lying if she didn't admit she was scared.

"Any concerns Spock?"

"Just stay safe Rose. I know I don't have the proper data, but I will begin running simulations and see if I can at least isolate some of the variables we'll be dealing with."

"Great!" Rose forced a smile for both Spock and Alistair. "We're ahead of schedule. There's still hours to go."

"Honestly that's one of the things that worries me most," Alistair said with a shake of his head.

….

The Black Archive rose above the gentle roll of the hills as a large grey brick of a building. There was a barbed wire fence around it and small guard buildings scattered about. To an outsider it would have looked like a small military base, but Rose knew that the most dangerous items were kept deep inside of it. As they drove closer, Rose pulled the backseat down and carefully climbed into the trunk. The backseat was pushed back up a moment later by Alistair using his cane leaving her in the dark.

She could hear muffled voices after they drove forward and held her breath, just waiting for something to go wrong. A soldier was asking Alistair about why he was there before it changed into a conservation about the crisis. Just as Rose was sure they weren't going to be let in the car moved forward. They rolled along for what felt like an eternity. Then they stopped, Alistair got out and started talking to someone else. His tone was friendly, but Rose could hear the underlying worry. She stayed as still and silent as she could until the voices drifted away.

"We were lucky," Alistair told her as the trunk opened and he extended his hand to her. "Skeleton staff today, too many are out in the field monitoring children as part of the British army." He shook his head and nodded towards the door. "We may have a problem inside. You're wanted for questioning. The order is coming from Geneva now. I'm afraid that the Prime Minister hasn't sorted that yet."

"Lovely." Rose shuddered as she got her feet under her. She picked up the backpack with Spock and hoisted it onto her back. Alistair looked at her in slight surprise. "Just in case."

He nodded his understanding and they turned towards the entrance to the Black Archives. "Stay back from me. I'll subdue the guards. The less they are involved in this the better, but I'm sure you can understand that security has been tightened here since Black Sun's attack."

"Okay," Rose agreed. Her stomach turned uneasily. Would they actually shoot her? Part of her didn't think so, but with the strain of the last few days, everyone was on edge. Rose felt a wave of unease as Alistair place his hand on a palm reader. This place looked too much like a prison with windows. Or a tomb. "Here," she said as she pulled on the sonic pen. Rose adjusted it quickly. "Just press and hold here. It will set the cameras on a loop."

Alistair took the pen with a hint of surprise but nodded. The door opened and he stepped in first with the pen in hand. There was a soft hum of the probe and Rose stepped forward to follow him. The door slid shut behind him. The air was as dry as Rose remembered as they walked down the long entry corridor with Alistair several feet in front of her. Rose was silent as he reached into his pocket and pulled out something too quickly for her to see.

"General?" The soldier jumped to attention as Rose ducked into the shadows. His partner looked too stunned to even speak. "Sir what brings you here?"

"Looking to review a report that might be useful." He walked to them casually. "Something about all this seemed familiar."

"I see sir, but UNIT has been ordered to stand down." The soldier didn't sound happy about that.

"I know."

Alistair shook his head but then reached out and gripped the man's shoulder. There was a flash of light and the man slumped to the ground with a slight grown. The second man started to move, but Alistair grabbed his shoulder tightly. The soldier slumped forward with Alistair catching him. Rose jumped forward and help leaned the man against the wall. Alistair stood up quickly and headed for the far side door. It opened a moment later revealing another guard who Alistair reached for before the man could react. There was another small flash and he too slumped forward.

"What was that?" Rose questioned, avoiding contact with Alistair's right hand.

"Oh a little piece of tech I was given upon my first retirement," he answered dismissively. "Useful, but you have to get close. It takes forever to charge up as well." He chuckled a little. "You should see what is in my cane."

"Well okay then." Rose moved to the far door and stepped into the main control room. The panels of computers and monitors displayed the different areas of the massive warehouse. She carefully took off Spock's backpack and set it beside the main computer. Taking a deep breath, Rose sat down in the chair and typed 'Berlin' into the database search. More than two hundred results came up. "This is going to take some time."


	45. Daughter of the World: Loyalty

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-Five: Daughter of the World: Loyalty

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

The Black Archive system was a mess of keywords. Rose had only a little sympathy for the people who had to catalogue everything because honestly, this should have been easy to find. It was created by they thought the Doctor, used in Berlin and had telepathic features. Yet she was still running down a list of items taken from Berlin and checking all the photos as she tried to find a match visually and in the dates.

"We've been here too long already," Alistair said darkly. He came over to stand behind her. "If the internal guards go too long without checking in an alert is triggered."

"How long have we got?" Rose questioned. She glanced back at Alistair who was guarding the door nervously. "I need more time to find the right item."

"Not long. It will probably be troops from London."

"Any chance that they'll just let us go?"

Alistair breathed out slowly, clearly weighing the situation. "Maybe," he finally said. "But with Geneva putting so much pressure on UNIT UK soldiers will be worrying about being court martialed. It's difficult to say how people will react to that."

As if summoned one of the sensors next to Rose began to beep. She pressed it and the screen overhead changed. Two UNIT jeeps pulled up and a total of five men jumped out. They were parked on the back side of the building and began moving around. Rose was a bit confused as to why they parked back there but pushed the thought aside.

"Any security systems?" Rose asked as she jumped to her feet and began to search the large panels full of buttons, switches and smaller screens.

"Not that I know of," Alistair grumbled as he searched as well. A moment later he flipped a switch and Rose heard something thud in the corridor beyond. "That won't take long. They can get an override code from London."

That didn't give Rose any confidence, but she quickly entered in a new query to narrow her current list of one hundred matches. Time was already turning against them once more. She again had a rush of anger over UNIT working against her. Some small part of her understood that it was orders from Geneva and they had no choice, but that didn't stop the anger.

Rose tensed as the soldiers came rushing down the corridor. She glanced towards the General who had a dark determined look. The device in his hand was at the ready, but Rose knew it wouldn't be nearly enough for a large group who were expecting trouble. The door crashed open and two rows of two men stepped inside with their weapons at the ready. Rose was pleased to see at least a little hesitation in their eyes, but none of them stood down even when the General straightened up. A soft gasp escaped her and Rose's stomach twisted as Benton stepped into view behind them. He was in full uniform and his eyes locked on hers as he frowned.

"Tyler, General," Benton greeted calmly, his face completely expressionless behind the line of soldiers. "You're under arrest by order of the British Government and Security Council of the United Nations."

The first of the soldiers began to step forward and Benton suddenly moved. He lunged forward and pressed his hand against the soldier's neck. A bright blue light flashed over the man's skin and he screamed for only a moment before collapsing. Benton grabbed the next one who was starting to turn towards him. Rose dashed forward, grabbing the side of the gun of another man to keep him from firing and kneed him in the stomach, sending him crashing to the ground. The General grabbed the last one and held his device at the man's neck. Rose held hers in place for a moment before he suddenly slumped to the ground with the General standing behind him. Everything was still for a heartbeat and Rose took a deep breath. Benton carefully stepped over the men and shook his head, clear regret on his face.

"Thank you, John," Alistair breathed with a soft smile. "You had me worried there for a moment."

"Sorry sir," Benton apologised, tugging at the bottom of his uniform. "Things are… tense. I suspect you already know that Kate has been arrested, along with Malcolm and a good chunk of the Science Division. Someone in Geneva is pushing back against UNIT. A man arrived only a few hours ago and took command."

"We suspected as much," Alistair admitted with a swallow. "You're not in command anymore?"

"No sir, don't know much about the man who now it. Bates is his name so we need to move fast because with him in control it's only going to get worse." He paused and looked toward Rose. "Honestly I'm not sure why I wasn't arrested. They probably only held off due to worry about mutiny."

"Thank you," Rose offered Benton softly as she pulled out the sonic pen again. She pointed it towards the door. The lock buzzed and went dark. "You've put yourself in a bad position."

"Yes well, I knew fairly soon after we met that someday I'd be committing another act of mutiny in the name of the Doctor."

Rose didn't know how to respond to that. She blushed a little and the computer behind her beeped. Dashing over to it, Rose sighed in relief. "Got it!"

"What are you here for?" Benton asked. "Please tell me I didn't just take down my own men for a joyride."

"Rose thinks an item brought here can deal with the aliens." Alistair was frowning darkly. "Things are happening at higher levels and they aren't good."

"Ten percent of all children are to be handed over," Rose explained as she tapped the computer and brought up the map of the item's location. "Harriet was able to buy a little more time, but we have to make this work." She touched the screen with a smile. "Right there. Aisle 17, row D."

"Go get it then," the General ordered. "We haven't much time."

"It's even close by," Benton agreed with a relieved smile.

"I'll get it," Rose offered. She was already moving towards the door to the outer area. "It's not very large. Fits into a briefcase."

"The Doctor always did like compact," Benton offered though the attempt at humour fell flat.

…..

The Black Archive main room was a cavernous space with long rows of heavy metal shelves. Boxes of all different, shapes, sizes and materials filled them with a small number and name plates fixed below each of them. Rose had always felt nervous knowing that so much unknown or deemed dangerous tech was sitting in one spot. Now she was grateful that the storage of items like this was at least in England. She doubted that she would have been able to get someplace else with the high security.

Aisle 17 Row D was easy to find in the grid system. Rose quickly began scanning the various plates that labelled the boxes. They were a mix of wood and metal boxes and many had sonic seals on them. Rose wasn't sure who they were trying to keep out, but she pulled out the sonic pen and placed it against the box she needed. It beeped and opened with a click revealed the briefcase that Alistair had built the hub into.

Relief welled up in Rose even as she closed the case. Her mind was already trying to sort out the next stop. She needed Spock and a little time which she couldn't get here. It was time to leave the Black Archive and find an alternate location. She began to run back towards the main control room, looking up towards it nervously.

Both of the officers were looking intently at another screen when Rose returned. The four UNIT soldiers had been moved out of the doorway and were lying unconscious in the corner of the room. They all looked peaceful and their weapons were arranged in a row on the only table in the room. Rose found it a bit creepy but headed for the generals.

"I've got it," Rose announced. They looked her way and there was a slight look of relief, but neither of them looked happy.

Around them, the computers flickered and a look of irritation appeared on Benton's face. "Must have ordered another team." A darker expression flickered over his face, but it didn't last long. "Should have expected this. They're trying to cut the power."

"There's more soldiers?" Rose repeated as a knot grew in her stomach. "UNIT's?"

"I should have figured that they'd be suspicious of me leading the team. Bates must have sent someone right after us."

Rose reached down and picked up Spock's backpack, carefully balancing herself with the hub case. Her fingers tightened around the handle protectively. Benton moved past her and activated something on the computer. The screens changed and brought up a series of cameras. Multiple vehicles were rolling in around the building.

"We can't hold the Black Archives while you do this," Benton announced as he turned back to Rose. He pulled out a set of keys and tossed them to her. "There's a jeep parked around the back. You have to get moving, take the emergency exit. We had it installed after that last problem here. The code for the door is 89241," Benton told her quickly.

"But-"

"We'll buy you what time we can," Alistair informed her.

"You should go with her sir," Benton protested.

"I'm in this now and unlike you Benton I have family on the line." He reached down and picked up one of the weapons and examined it. "Stun gun, Benton?"

"I argued that we'd never get soldiers to fire live rounds at two heroes," Benton answered. He looked torn for a moment, but also grateful as he picked up one of the weapons himself. "Course the new group they are sending might not follow that."

"Who do you think this Bates will send?"

"Probably Mace. He needs to pretend," Benton replied with a sigh. "And you know what he's like. Good man, but will always follow orders to the letter."

"Lovely," Alistair answered drily. "Rose get moving. You have the telepathic hub. Get moving and save the world."

There was a sudden crashing on the door and Rose almost jumped, but the two generals calmly raised their weapons and shifted towards the door. Already she could hear movement in the corridor beyond.

"Rose," Alistair repeated. "Get moving. If you ever take one order from me, then let it be this one."

Staring at them both for a moment, Rose felt her heart clench painfully at the terrifying thought she might be the cause of their deaths. She moved forward and kissed Alistair's cheek before doing the same with John.

"Thank you," she whispered, aware that the words were grossly insufficient. She ran.

Out of the entry corridor and back out into the rows and rows of shelves. She wasn't completely sure where she was going and tears were making her eyesight blurry even as she listened frantically for any sound behind her. Then she heard the first crash just as she finally spotted a small sign with an arrow marking the way out. Beside it on a shelf was a crate marked Mal Lupa and Rose let out a small sob.

The sound of weapons being fired echoed out of the corridor and around the massive space, but Rose didn't stop. She reached the small back door and set down the case with the telepathic hub. Rose quickly entered the code with her sword hand at the ready just in case. It opened with a soft beep and she all but fell out. Two soldiers were on guard, but Rose was prepared.

She swung her sword at their weapons, cutting off the long barrels, surprising the guards. Then she half spun, bringing a leg up to kick the first guard squarely in the solar plexus. He released a grunt of pain before collapsing back on the ground. The second lashed out at her with his fist and Rose retracted her sword before swinging at him. He blocked her first attempt even as his hand began to creep down for his secondary weapon. Twisting around him, Rose shoved him against the wall of the building, leaping up onto his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and used her legs to secure his arms. He stumbled back, but Rose held on even as he began to fall backwards.

They hit the ground together, but Rose didn't let go until she finally felt his body go limp. Slowly releasing her grip, Rose pushed him off of her and climbed to her feet. She couldn't hear anything anymore and didn't see any additional troops. Mace must have secured the back and taken the rest in. While that thought multiplied her worry for John and Alistair she made one frantic wish that the soldiers would hesitate just enough not to kill them and she reached back through the ajar door to grab the case. Closing the door, she pulled out the sonic pen and fried the circuits. It wouldn't' stop them, but it would slow them down. With that done, she bolted for the jeep Benton had told her about and didn't dare look back.

Rose turned it on and fired it up with a dull roar. The tires sent gravel flying up and she started driving around the large building. Other trucks and vehicles were parked all around, but most of the troops had been sent inside. In front of her, the main gate was shut, but Rose pulled out the sonic pen. She didn't slow down even as it opened and a pair of guards started shooting at the wheels. The shots missed and Rose hoped that was on purpose as she sped past them.

…

Inside the Black Archives, Alistair pressed himself against the wall and groaned as his back protested. He was far too old for this. Benton was still leaning forward and sending shots down the corridor. There was shouting echoing up to them.

"Didn't we talk about this after that mess with the Cyberman," Alistair sighed as he glanced towards Benton. "About you not taking orders from civilians."

"I remember that," Benton replied with a chuckle. "You said not to listen to them even if they called me chicken, were associates of the Doctors or beautiful women." Benton shrugged a little. "In my defence sir it was hard enough just with the ones he travelled with. Really what chance was there with the one he'll marry."

"None I suppose. Do you think she can do it?"

"Yeah," Benton said with a slight smile. "I think she can."

…..

Rose was driving frantically. The UNIT jeep was larger than she was used to handling and worried tears were blinding her. She desperately hoped that Benton and Alistair would be alright. Surely the soldiers, even Mace who so loved regulations, wouldn't actually fire on them. Things had gotten a little better only to backslide again. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened and she turned sharply onto a small back road to get away from potential reinforcements coming from London.

Up ahead was a turn off partially hidden by trees. Rose searched the surroundings for any signs of a pursuit, but thus far she was alone. Slowing down, she pulled over and grabbed Spock's bag and the case. She climbed into the large back, noticing the benches for troops with a grimace. Rose opened Spock's bag and quickly unfolded the interface and set him inside. Spock flickered to life and Rose secured the interface with a few of the wench ties on the bottom of the jeep.

"Rose? Where are we?"

"Back of a jeep. I'll let you start checking out the interface. I need to know what we'll need."

"The General?"

"Buying us time," Rose answered softly. "We've got a job to do Spock. I need to know if this will work and if we need anything else.

She secured the case directly in front of Spock and there was a soft hum as his soft range sensors switched on. Studying it for a moment, Rose admired the compact design and noted the small screen that Alistair had built in. Right next to it was a small indent that Rose placed her finger into. There was a scratch against her finger and a moment later the whole hub hummed.

'DNA match' appeared on the screen.

"Yes!" Rose cheered softly. "It's online Spock. Work your magic."

Rose climbed back into the front of the jeep and got them moving again. They came to another larger road with more traffic and Rose carefully looked around before pulling onto it. Still no signs of pursuit from either UNIT or Eclipse. Pressing down the gas pedal, Rose urged them faster and faster towards London. That was probably their best chance.

Sometime later Spock beeped in the back. "Rose I've analysed the structure of the telepathic hub and I believe I have a calculation for what we need to do. The key is indeed to turn the Qreiz'elt's signal back on them. Rose, I'm afraid we'll need some help."

"What kind of help?"

"In order to send the signal out across the globe and gather enough strength to destroy the Qreiz'elt we're going to need some satellites to help bounce the signal."

"Isn't there any other way?" Rose asked nervously. "That's not going to be easy with you not hooked in."

"There is an alternative, but I doubt you'd like it."

"Oh?"

"We could use a child as the transmitter, but it would be deadly to the child. The telepathic hub can link the children up in a similar way, but we'll need the boost of the satellites to reach the same saturation."

"Okay satellites it is then."

"In my present condition, I cannot link to the number of satellites that we will need. I strongly urge you to contact Luke for his assistance."

"Mel too," Rose murmured as she reached towards her bag and pulled out her superphone.

"However calling anyone will expose your signal. They must be watching for it by now."

"Yeah," Rose agreed. "But the whole world, Spock. We keep moving until we're ready. What else do you need."

"I'll need a stable internet signal, not the link I currently have."

"London it is then." Rose turned on the phone and glanced down as she found the first name on the list. "Be ready with instructions, Spock. They'll need to know exactly what satellites to move and how much."

"I am prepared."

"Alright then, let's give Eclipse something to chase."


	46. Daughter of the World: Telepathy

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-Six: Daughter of the World: Telepathy

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Luke Chesterton-Smith was beginning to hate the set of rooms they were waiting in. They were small soldier living quarters with bunks in one room, a bathroom and one main room where their guards stood during their rotation. It was connected to an identical set of rooms where Rose's mum, Rita Anne, Sharon and Shareen were. Other than going through and chatting with the others, there was almost nothing to do thanks to the bad phone signal. Skye was playing on their one handheld console he'd thought to grab, his grandparents were napping, his mum and dad were reading some old magazines and he was trying not to go out of his mind.

"Mum it's Rose," Luke said. He stood up and frowned at his phone. "The message says she needs my help moving satellites."

"Moving satellites," Sarah Jane repeated. She jumped up and moved over to her son, looking over his shoulder at the phone screen. "What does she have planned?"

"Doesn't say," Luke answered as he crossed the room towards the computer.

"Mister Tyler," the UNIT guard said, stepping in front of him. "That computer is for staff use. You shouldn't be on it."

Sarah Jane frowned at the younger guard. "Oh, honestly what's he going to do?" His name Hicks was on his uniform and to her, he looked barely old enough to shave.

"Rose needs help!" Luke looked at the guard urgently. "She doesn't give details, but she wouldn't be sending me a list of satellites that need to be moved if it wasn't important! It's got to be about the aliens."

He must have raised his voice because Sharon and Shareen appeared in the door behind the guard. They were frowning and Luke nodded towards the computer making Sharon nod her understanding. The guard's expression became pained and he glanced towards the main door of the unit. He was clearly checking to make sure no one was coming in.

"UNIT was ordered to stay out of this crisis by Geneva. Honestly, the only reason you're still under protection is that that was done beforehand and no one is trying to change it."

"I'll thrilled with you reassurance," Sarah Jane growled. She narrowed her eyes. "So do we have to knock you out, Private Hicks?"

Hicks looked torn and Luke darted around him while Sarah Jane grabbed his arm. Sharon and Shareen came running up behind him. The noise attracted the others from the rooms, but they ignored them. Shareen grabbed the man's other arm as Luke went to the computer. He vaguely noticed that the man was struggling much. Then Sharon did something and the man sank to the floor.

"Nice Sharon," Shareen laughed.

"Don't. I'm not going to get in the habit of knocking people out. That's Rose's thing."

"Luke?" his mum called as she came over behind him. "Can you get in?"

"Yeah, probably won't have much time."

"Well Hicks didn't put up a fight or make any noise," his mum observed with a hint of fondness. "So we have some time. Do what you can to help Rose."

…..

In UNIT HQ, levels below the Tower of London, UNIT staff were scanning the empty screens frantically. Still no sign of a ship or anything else they could shoot at. Frustration and anger had taken root in the staff and tempers were high. There were rumours being whispered about Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, Toshiko Sato and Malcolm Taylor being relieved and maybe even arrested though no one knew the charges. Then there was the rumour that Benton had been charged with mutiny and arrested. No one knew what was happening and their new commanding officer General Bates wasn't telling them anything. UNIT had been ordered to stay out of the crisis and keep monitoring the sky to make sure nothing else happened.

Colonel Elizabeth Frost stalked into the main room and eyed the wall full of screens. Her fingers tightened around the cup of coffee she'd just gotten and the urge to spike it with something returned. Instead, she walked up the steps and returned to General Bates. Holding out of the cup of coffee to him she stayed silent and waited for more instructions.

"Thank you, Colonel." Bates took a sip of the coffee. "Updates from Mace?"

"He and his forces have control over the Black Archives. There were uninjured and unaware guards outside who he had reinforced."

"Anything missing?"

Frost almost smiled in relief but kept her reaction contained. "Only one item sir. There was a search open on the computer and they checked its number."

He didn't ask anything about Benton or Sir Alistair. Frost figured he already knew. She glanced around, there was no sign of her regular commanding officer yet, something had definitely happened to Benton. Looking back at the screens, Frost wondered just what had happened and what was going on.

"Sir!" Someone called from further in the room. "We just found Tyler's mobile signal. It's fairly weak, partially masked, but there."

"Where is she?" Bates demanded in a low voice.

The main screens changed to reveal a map with a moving dot near the outskirts of London. Frost felt her heart jump with a mixture of uncomfortable and potentially mutinous emotions. Bates had a nasty smile on her face that made her stomach twist.

"Send me and arrest her!"

"Sir she's trying to help," Frost heard herself say. The room went still and she realised that everyone was listening. Bates turned to her slowly.

"UNIT was ordered to stay out of it."

"Tyler is a consultant for UNIT only, not a soldier and technically nothing about her contract ever gave UNIT the authority to restrict her," Frost explained, uncomfortable with the way Bates was looking at her.

"She broke into the Black Archive."

"Maybe not if she was let in, we don't know what happened."

"Sir Alistair broke the law and took her there, giving her access that she wasn't cleared for," Bates snapped and Frost heard a sharp intact around the room. "She took an item and Sir Alistair and Brigadier Benton delayed Mace when he was sent to investigate to give her time to escape." Bates huffed slightly. "Is that illegal enough for you Colonel Frost?"

"Yes sir," Frost forced out. She looked towards the screen. "Sir if we're seeing the signal than those forces who attacked Bannerman Road earlier probably can as well."

"Yes, I suppose so. If they're monitoring for her. Prep the unit I brought with me. I want them ready in twenty minutes to move out. I'll lead them myself."

"Respectfully sir, you may be needed here. I'll take a unit after her."

"No, I will deal with Tyler."

Frost tensed up. Instincts that she thought had been beaten down in boot camp were suddenly returning with a vengeance. She glanced towards Private Ross who was on guard at the side of the room. He was frowning and as she caught the Private's eye he shook his head. Frost looked towards one of the other techs who looked just as uneasy. Her hand moved to her service weapon before the thought fully processed.

She pointed the weapon at Bates. There were a collective intact of breath through the room. The guards pulled their own firearms and everyone turned to see what was going to happen. Bates chuckled at Frost and gestured towards the guards including Ross.

"Really Colonel, what a way to end a career."

"I owe Tyler my life," Frost said both to herself and him. "And Sir Alistair and Benton have both already thrown their lot in with her. They believe in her and the population of children around the world is at risk. I know her, but I don't know you. So I'm going to bet on the horse that has actually won a race."

Bates frowned at her and gestured towards the guards. However, as they stepped forward Ross shifted his firearm and trained it on Bates. Others followed and Frost released a slow exhale. "Lt. Colonel Oduya," she called.

A tall dark officer in the back of the room moved forward. He hadn't drawn his weapon, but his hand was resting on it. Bates glared at him, but Lt. Colonel Oduya made no move to help him. "Colonel Frost."

"Where do you stand Lt. Colonel?" Frost asked.

There was a moment of hesitation, but Oduya nodded to her. "I am a father, Colonel. I've not liked having our hands tied."

"Then take some men and go and protect Tyler."

"This is mutiny, Colonel."

"This is fulfilling our greatest duty and obligation," Frost answered, returning her eyes to Bates. "Even when others don't want us to."

…

Turning the wheel sharply, Rose drove the jeep into the alley and stopped it. She pulled off the seatbelt and stumbled into the back. Spock's lights were flashing as he uploaded and downloaded information through her superphone.

"Three satellites in alignment," Spock told her.

"Lovely," Rose growled as she shifted in her seat and looked around. "Spock, can you be moved?"

"I would suggest against it," Spock replied. "But if you are concerned about safety we can-"

"No, I'll keep driving. Tell me when we're ready." Rose turned back to the wheel and stepped on the gas. The jeep lumbered forward again. "That will help at least."

She drove through the alley and turned left on the street. There was a sense of fear filling London. Traffic was greatly reduced and Rose tentatively started driving towards Thames House as worry churned in her stomach. She desperately wished that she could call someone to check on Alistair and Benton, but Spock was still sending instructions to Luke, Mel and Ace. Rose tightened her grip on the steering wheel and looked around nervously, hoping that maybe she'd spot a vehicle large enough to transfer Spock into.

London seemed different to Rose as she drove through it. Every turn and side street were frightening and she was braced for an attack. Glancing back at Spock, her eyes landed on her phone. Superphone or not they had to be detecting something. Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel as she started driving around Regent's Park. Rose kept looking around for a friendly looking street to follow, but nothing looked very friendly. She followed a taxi through a detour into an unfamiliar shopping district that was mostly deserted.

"Rose, we're ready."

Exhaling, Rose pulled over into a small open area between two buildings. Overhead were rows of windows that Rose suspected were flats. The jeep came to a halt and Rose unbuckled herself and shifted into the back.

"Okay so the satellites are in place and we have the signal," Rose said softly.

"But you need to keep the telepathic hub functioning," Spock told her. "It is genetically tied to you."

Rose nodded her understanding and looked down at the telepathic hub. It looked a bit like a crown built from a band of metal. There were small wires on the inside and tiny diodes that served some purpose Rose didn't understand. This was technology beyond her. A nervous voice in her head reminded her that she wasn't telepathic, but another voice argued that she'd felt something during every time the aliens broadcast.

"Damn Silver Lord," Rose grumbled. "Probably all his fault."

Gunfire rang through the air and Rose yelped, dropping her body over the telepathic hub and Spock. The jeep lurched as the tires deflated violently. She risked a glance out the window as men in black body armour marched towards the jeep. Her heart jumped to her throat and Rose shifted her arm, summoning her sword on instinct. Rose tried to think of a way to escape, but there were so many and they were closing in fast.

Then she heard shouting and there was another round of gunfire. Rose shifted and noticed that the men in black were spreading out in the street, but not around her. A pair of UNIT vehicles came squealing up with men firing with weapons out of the top. Gasping, Rose glanced between the two sides in shock as her brain tried to process what she was seeing. It couldn't.

"Rose we need to hurry. The satellites are in position, but won't be there for long."

Nodding, Rose tore her eyes away from the standoff as UNIT troops poured out of the vehicles and the Eclipse forces withdrew to more defensive positions. She picked up the thin metal band from the telepathic hub. It began to hum beneath her fingers and Rose took a deep breath before slipping it over her head. She really hoped that she reading Alistair right in what she was supposed to do with it. And she hoped that she'd never have to explain this one to the Doctor. She shivered as the sounds of gunfire began to fade away and the hum of the device began to take over.

"Uploading the signal," Spock said. "Rose you have to focus on the aliens and the signal. You control the Hub and we need to send that signal to all the children."

Rose slipped the band over her head. It settled into the groove just above her ears. Gasping, Rose felt a charge of energy tingling over her skin. There was a soft pulsing sound in her ears that she realised must be the signal. Doubt overtook her for a moment. Rose wasn't sure how to control it, but as the pulsing of the signal increased she focused on envisioning the children. She recalled the image of Skye chanting and the videos of the other children. The signal increased and the visions of the children began clearer and clearer. It was like she was right in front of them. Hot pain became to creep in the sides of her head, but Rose kept focusing on the children.

Agony. Rose's mind was red hot and trying to split open. Yet there were a few thin filaments that she could feel keeping everything together. The hum in her head, the rhythm of the signal was making her heart race, but she could also hear a tone. There was a mighty unified voice growing all across the world and feeding through her and the hub. It was hot beneath her fingers.

Distantly she heard Spock. There were loud noises like shots in the distance and vehicles with squealing tires. Yet it was too far away. The signal was close, surrounding her and pulsing through her head. The filaments were growing stronger instead of breaking. They shimmered blue and purple and a pair of alien faces flashed in Rose's memory. Rose shuddered and her eyes ached as they opened too wide.

She could hear the tone now. One note was resonating around the world as the signal jumped from child to child. Rose could feel the thrum from the signal echoing through her bones. Around her, the back of the jeep glowed as the lights on the small headband went crazy. Rose thought she heard Spock and her eyes jumped to the front of the building. Suddenly the ground shook and a pillar of fire appeared in the distance.

Then the signal was gone. The energy rippled across her skin was gone. Only the ache remained. There was a sharp pain and sense of loss that echoed through Rose's head as the visions of the children were suddenly gone. Gasping for air, Rose half collapsed onto the floor of the jeep. It was cool against her overheated skin.

"Rose!" Spock's voice called. "A ship appeared briefly, it was masked under a low-level telepathic field. It was destroyed by the energy backlash. The communications barrier is gone, shall I contact the Shadow Proclamation."

"Yeah," Rose forced out. Her mouth was dry and she throat felt raw. Slowly she reached up and pulled the band off of her head with trembling hands.

Her head ached. It felt different, stretched out and raw. Rose thought she heard Spock talking again, but couldn't focus. Darkness was coming over the edges of her vision. Then her eyes slid shut as she heard someone calling her last name.

…..

The light above Rose was too bright as she tried to open her eyes. A low groan escaped her and someone dimmed the light. Inhaling deeply, Rose mustered up the strength to open her eyes again. Malcolm smiled down at her with a relieved smile.

"Welcome back," the science advisor greeted. His warm was warm and his eyes were bright. "You had us worried."

"What happened?" Rose croaked.

"Numerous things actually, but firstly you're going to be fine and your family is safe," Malcolm assured her.

"Alistair and Benton?" Rose asked urgently, beginning to sit up.

"They are fine!" Malcolm rushed to tell her as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Both are in observation due to the voltage weapons being used to take them down. Neither of them is as young as they used to be, but they are fine."

"The children? The aliens? Did it work?"

"Well, something worked," Malcolm answered. "All the children around the world started releasing one tone and it caused the alien to… well, explode. The signal was strong enough that it revealed their ship, course that blew up a moment later. The Orthans arrived only a couple of hours later to retrieve the remains. They took the matter to the Shadow Proclamation, but apparently, this aliens were exiles and looking to enter the drug trade."

Rose's mind ached at the information dump or it might have been left over from what she did. Blinking, Rose took in a slow breath and closed her eyes for a moment. "Spock?"

"He was turned over to Sarah Jane when they were taken home three hours ago."

"How long have I been out?"

"We found you in the back of the jeep unconscious and bleeding out of her ears and nose. You've been asleep for two days. MRI came back a little odd, but nothing to suggest long-term problems."

"Eclipse…" Rose frowned, she'd been sure they were there. "Malcolm, what happened?"

"When you turned started sending data dumps to your friends they were able to track you, but UNIT was able to as well." Malcolm hesitated for a moment. "Colonel Frost might have led a mini revolute against General Bates to come and help you. UNIT forces arrived at your location moments after Eclipse. They kept them back and rescued you."

Rose tried to remember, but it was fuzzy. There had been gunfire when they shot out her tires, but she did sort of remember the UNIT trucks arriving. Fear for what might have happened flared in her chest for a moment before easing. Malcolm reached over and squeezed her hand.

"Things are still a little crazy here Rose," he admitted. "The science department has been reinstated and Kate's family are just fine."

"What going to happen to Alistair, Benton and Frost?"

"We don't know yet," Malcolm admitted with a sigh, suddenly looking much older. "They violated direct orders and in Frost's case openly pulled a weapon on her superior officer." Malcolm smiled a little and reached down to squeeze Rose's hand. "But the world was saved, Rose." She nodded at the words. They were true though she still felt guilty and worried. Her eyes went around the bare UNIT hospital room. "All we can do is wait and see," Malcolm said.

"Yeah," Rose sighed. "Wait and see."


	47. Daughter of the World: An Odd Meeting

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-Seven: Daughter of the World: An Odd Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

The park near Bannerman Road was full. Rose held back a yawn as she watched parents playing with their children or keeping a watchful eye on them. Many of them were unfamiliar and Rose had to wonder just how many parents the crisis had reminded of the value of their children. She took a sip of her tea from the travel mug her own Mum had made her less than an hour ago. Rose closed her eyes and willed away the budding headache. Out of the hospital, twelve hours and the headaches still hadn't completely gone away. It wasn't as bad as they had been during her almost wedding so she wasn't too worried.

Rose's whole body still ached and she licked her dry lips. The pain in her head was gone, but there was a strange dull ache. It was like healing skin and she thought about what Alistair had said. Time Lords and their tricks. They'd been lucky in the end and while she knew her future son had made sure she had what she needed it still amazed Rose. Everything had snapped into place through the help of friends or outright mutiny. Her eyes lingered on one of the little boys in the playground who had bright red hair that reminded her of Adam's.

The sound of heavy wheezing filled the park and Rose straightened up sharply. Looking around almost frantically, Rose only half noticed some of the parents grabbing their children and leaving. A tall blue box appeared in the shadows under a tree and Rose couldn't help but smile. She told herself to get up, but her aching body decided against it. The door opened, but it wasn't the Doctor who stepped out. Instead, a little boy with bright red hair rushed out and grinned at her as he ran across the park.

Alistair stepped out behind him with an affectionate smile. Rose exhaled sharply, something in her chest easing at the sight of her future son and grandson. Then Adam was to her and the little boy promptly crawled up on her lap. Rose was stunned silent for a moment, a bit at a loss of what to do as her brain fought between habits ingrained by babysitting and her lingering surprise at having a grandson. Yet she quickly wrapped her arms around the little boy and rocked him gently as she buried her face in his hair.

Adam was so young. It hit her like a tonne of bricks. If he'd been on Earth or too close in orbit then he might have been affected, telepathic or not. Her hands were shaking as her mind went to her memory of infant Astra. She'd been newborn with enemies already circling. How was she ever going to keep them safe?

"Easy Mum," Alistair said. He sat down next to her on the bench and wrapped an arm around her. "I'm here, we turn out fine in the end I promise. Please just keep that in mind when we drive you crazy."

A rough laugh escaped Rose and she realised that she was crying. Raising her head she gave Alistair a watery smile. "I'll try, but I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything else given your father."

"And Dad would say that it's all due to you being so jeopardy friendly," Alistair countered.

"Well, maybe a little."

Rose took her hand off of Adam and wiped at her eyes. Adam tilted his head back and grinned up at her. The little boy didn't say anything, but he didn't need to.

"How long have you been out of the hospital?" Alistair laughed.

"Two hours, Ross just dropped me off here." Rose hesitated and shook her head. "I just needed a little time."

"I understand." Alistair looked at the parents watching her children. "Not the ideal first contact, but it will get better. The Prime Minister is making a speech in a bit to address this. It'll be important to Earth history."

"Noted," Rose replied.

"Gran won't be bad, I promise," Alistair added gently. There was a slight smile on his face and he looked down at her son. "Honestly as a parent myself I find that I understand her better than I used to." He paused and shuddered. "Don't tell Dad I said that."

"Your secret is safe with me."

Alistair suddenly looked up towards the edge of the park. "I'm going to go and push my son on the swings," he announced. Picking up Adam, he swung the boy around making all of them laugh. "Be right back Mum."

Rose nodded and said nothing as Alistair headed off to the swings with Adam. There was a free one and her future grandson quickly claimed it. She sat still and just watched them, unsure of how much time was passing. Suddenly the sensation of being watched and the sound of someone coming over made her tense up. Rose looked over her shoulder only to relax as she found General Lethbridge-Stewart coming towards her.

"Alistair," Rose gasped. She leapt to her feet and moved around the bench.

He looked a bit worn out and was using a cane for a bit of support, but was still walking tall. He smiled at her with a slight twinkle in his eye and Rose quickly walked over to meet him. With a laugh, Rose started to move to hug him only to think better of it. Then he chuckled and opened his free arm in invitation. Rose was quick to take it and hugged him.

"Oh, it's so good to see you!" Rose breathed. "They told me only that you were okay, but no details."

"I'm alright Rose," he assured her. "I'm just a little too old for all this. The doctors expect I'll recover soon enough."

"And John?"

"Benton's physically alright, but poor chap is already in Geneva."

"Is he in trouble?"

"No, actually neither of us are nor you." He gestured to the bench and they quickly moved back to it. "Kate's safe as are James and Gordon," the General told her kindly. "Benton has a bump on the head. Malcolm and Tosh are back in the lab already and your family and friends have all been returned home." He frowned a little. "I should warn you that Benton has ordered protective observation of them until this Eclipse situation is handled."

"After what happened I won't argue with that," Rose said. "But what about you and Benton? Are you in trouble?"

"No, Her Majesty stepped in and issued a full pardon under our positions in the British army. Plus things in Geneva are a little off and questions are being directed there. I can't say for sure if the ongoing investigations will turn up connections to Eclipse, but my gut says that they lost on this gamble." His expression was stern with a bit of anger. "Bates is under questioning and I'm afraid that Mace is being transferred to Australia. There's too much concern over if the men here have any respect for him."

There were so many questions that Rose wanted to ask. She'd been given so little information, but no coherent thoughts seemed willing to form.

"How do you feel, honestly?" Alistair questioned breaking into her messy thoughts. "The last few days have been hard on us all, but you most of all."

"I'm alright," Rose told him. "Sore, but I'm alright." Rose shook her head. "Bit of a headache still, but then I think about the fact I was serving as the control point of a worldwide message and I know I got off easy."

Alistair made a worried noise next to her as they sat down. "I should warn you of a few things: Torchwood has lost their rights to communicate with aliens."

"What?" Rose gaped at him, barely holding her hopeful joy in. "Really?"

"They'll remain as a technology development firm under the Crown, but Queen Elizabeth has restricted them from contacting any alien. If they detect anything they are to report it to UNIT."

"That's…" Rose grinned. "Oh, that's brilliant."

"Second is that Benton, Frost and I aren't going to be punished as I said. The Queen gave us pardons through our connection to the British army and Geneva is backtracking. Frost is still under consideration for command of the Enterprise and Benton will be retiring as scheduled."

"Frost?" Rose frowned in confusion. "What happened to her?"

"Apparently Bates was going to bring his own team to arrest you and stop whatever you were doing. Frost led a small mutiny at UNIT HQ and took command as Mace was out dealing with Benton and me."

"A mutiny?" Rose repeated. "Wow, I missed all the fun didn't I?"

"Well, Frost sent a squad to your location. They arrived just in time to protect you from Eclipse and brought you to the hospital after the signal stopped. They also captured two of the Eclipse men, but so far nothing they've revealed has been of use." He gave her a firm look that Rose rather thought might be almost paternal. "You took a huge risk Rose."

"Time was in short supply," Rose reminded him. She shook her head and grimaced slightly. "Anything else?" she asked.

"You're going to be knighted."

Rose breathed in the wrong way in her shock and almost choked. She coughed and looked up at him with wide shocked eyes. Alistair didn't look like he was joking however and looked more than a little pleased.

"What?"

"Knighted, you'll be Dame Rose soon," he replied as his expression softened. "You did save the world, Rose."

"I had a lot of help," Rose pointed out. She gave him a soft smile. "Thank you Alistair, you took a huge risk yourself. When I left the Archives I was so afraid that…" she trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

The General reached over and squeezed her hand. "You saved my grandson Rose from a horrible fate either at the hands of the aliens or growing up in the world after something so devastating." He shook his head and looked up as her son Alistair walked over towards them. Adam had vanished from the swings and Rose's eyes jumped over the TARDIS in the shadows of the tree where she saw the door closing. She prayed that the General didn't notice it.

"Rose," Alistair greeted while Rose tried not to freak out at him coming over. "General," he said to the other Alistair with a nod.

"You look rather familiar," the General said thoughtfully. There was a puzzled look on his face and Alistair just smiled.

"That's not really a surprise sir," he answered. His smiled widened and he looked at Rose. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"What?" Rose gasped and blinked in surprise. "Can I?"

Alistair offered her a warm smile. "Go ahead."

Rose's eyes widened and a grin took over her face. For a moment she couldn't quite breathe as raw excitement overpowered everything and she jumped to her feet. Then she turned back to the General who was frowning in confusion and standing up. His right hand was twitching slightly and Rose knew that he had a firearm somewhere.

"Well then, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart may I introduce Alistair Tyler," Rose said softly. She could barely speak around her beaming smile.

The General was gaping at her future son even as she saw hundreds of small calculations racing through his eyes. He glanced at her a moment later, but then looked back to Alistair. The old man rallied and straightened up with a smile. He extended his hand and his smile widened as Alistair took his hand and shook it.

"I'll be honest lad you're a surprise. The Doctor ever marrying was surprise enough, but you're a real shock." His eyes jumped over to Rose curiously, but then he shook his head as if to clear whatever thoughts had popped in. Rose pressed her lips tightly to hold back a giggle. "So you look like your father then. That's why you're familiar."

"Actually you've probably seen my photo before," Alistair admitted with a laugh. He rubbed the back of his neck with a hint of embarrassment. "My TARDIS takes on the police box look on Earth and I've been known to pretend to be Dad. Well before my birth anyway. In about twenty years UNIT has records of me anyway, but it gets messier prior to my birth. For some reasons some people seem horrified at the thought of the Doctor and Rose Tyler having children."

"Well given the knack both of your parents have for trouble, I suppose it is a marvel that you lived long enough to grow up." The General's smile was teasing now. "I must admit to being flattered, Rose." He looked towards her again with sparkling eyes. "Very flattered."

"I like A names apparently," Rose said with a casual shrug before grinning. "And you did just risk everything to help me so I think you qualify as a good friend."

"Something like at least," Alistair offered. "Good to see you again sir."

"Ah time travel," the General sighed. "Never boring."

"No it isn't," Rose sighed. "Alistair's actually the one who made the Hub."

"Well it had to be genetically linked," Alistair replied with a slight shrug. "Easy way to make sure that only my mother could use it." He smiled at the General and then stepped forward to wrap his arms around Rose. "I should be going, Mum."

"Thanks for coming by," Rose replied around a sudden lump in her throat. She wondered how it would long before she saw him again, but knew better than to ask.

"It'll be okay Mum," Alistair whispered as he released her. Then he nodded to the General. "Remember, don't tell my father. Don't even hint about it."

"I won't," the General promised. He looked pleased. "Won't be the first secret I've kept due to crossing time lines."

Alistair laughed and nodded. He gave Rose one last look before sweeping towards the swing seat. Adam jumped off the swing and rushed over to the TARDIS ahead of him. Thanks to his resemblance to his father the absence of the long coat still looked wrong to her. The General turned his attention to her as Alistair vanished into the TARDIS.

"Really Rose I'm very flattered."

"Yeah well I haven't done it yet," Rose reminded him. There was a soft blush creeping up her cheeks.

They both fell silent as the telltale sound of a TARDIS dematerializing filled the park. Rose looked over to watch the familiar and yet unfamiliar police public call box vanishing. A soft sigh escaped her when it was gone and she turned her attention back to the General.

He smiled at her and shook his head a bit fondly. "I'm afraid that Kate is expecting me home soon. I've been called to Geneva to help patch this mess up. I leave in the morning"

"Ouch, well good luck."

"I'll try to be back for your knighting," he promised. He reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "Try to get some rest, Rose. You did great." He gestured over to his car. "Can I give you a lift home?"

"Yeah," Rose said. She nodded. "Home is probably a good idea."

It didn't take long to reach her home. She was only a few blocks away, but as she climbed out Rose was hit with a wave of exhaustion. Seeing her son and grandson seemed to have been the last mental reassurance she needed that the world was okay. Standing on the doorstep of her Mum's house, Rose managed a wave to the General and watched him drive off. As much as she wanted him to stay she understood that Kate would want her whole family home and made a mental note to call her soon.

Lingering in the driveway, Rose hesitated to go inside. She wasn't sure how her Mum was going to react to all of this. A shout from the street drew her attention and Rose relaxed as she found Skye racing for her. The young preteen's hair was in a long braid and she was smiling madly.

"Rose!" Skye threw her arms around her. "You saved me!"

"Well, what else are godmothers for?" Rose replied as she stumbled back from the force of Sky's greeting. She smiled down at the girl fondly.

"I thought they helped with going to parties," Skye answered with a wide grin. "That's what Rani says."

"That's fairy godmothers honey," Rose chuckled.

"Then what are godfathers for?" Skye asked, releasing Rose and stepping back. "Sir Alistair is mine."

"Godfathers are for saving your godmother so that she can save you," Rose answered. She looked behind Skye. "Does your Mum know you're over here?"

"No," Skye admitted, kicking at the drive. "She's been weird lately. And Gran and Grandad came down too. I snuck out."

"They're just scared," Rose told her. She knelt down to look at Skye, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Losing a child is a terrifying thing. They just need to spend some time with you."

"Are you going to spend time with your Mum?" Sky asked.

"I'm going to try," Rose agreed. "You're welcome for the help Bright Spark, but your brother and Aunt Mel helped too." She gestured back to Sarah Jane's. "Now get home before you give your family a heart attack."

Skye nodded and headed for her home, being a bit more cautious as she crossed the street. Rose watched her until she entered the front door. Turning back to her own house, she took a deep breath and walked to the front door. Rose stepped inside the house and frowned as she heard the telly on in the next room. She crept inside and found her Mum parked on the sofa in front of the television. Looking at the television, Rose tensed up as Harriet Jones appeared standing behind a podium. There was a banner with information running across the bottom of the screen, but Rose's eyes were fixed on Harriet. The woman looked older than the last time they'd met, but the determination was blazing in her eyes.

"The last week has been a strain on us all," Harriet said in a clear voice. "We've learned things about the universe that we didn't know before and seen aspects of ourselves that are frightening." She paused and let the audience take everything in. "The last few days have rewritten what we thought we knew and understood about our place in the universe. They have forced us to confront what past events have made us suspect: we are not alone." Then the Prime Minister smiled. "But the universe is not just beings seeking to take our children. It has those who have come to protect us in the past. It has those who sent messages once the aliens were forced away to ensure that we were safe. The universe has beings that have the same goals, the same dreams, the same good and the same bad as us."

Rose found herself smiling. The words were familiar and she wondered if Harriet finally did understand that.

"Prime Minister," one reporter called out loudly. "What happened to destroy the aliens? And what about the reports that governments were discussing what children to give the aliens?"

There were many shouted questions that followed and Harriet held up a hand. "Those reports are somewhat true. Conversations on how to deal with the demands were underway, but my negotiations with the aliens for more time were part of a ploy. On Earth, we are not defenceless. Over the years other aliens have come here and people have always risen up to protect our planet and their neighbours. Organisations have developed from these unsung heroes and throughout this crisis, they were working to find solutions." Harriet paused and looked straight at the camera. "As for what children were going to be handed over one suggestion was to take children from poorer families, children who weren't expected to achieve anything and I will reveal that to you so what I say next means something. We were saved, your children were saved by the efforts of one person. She was helped by a few others, but in the end, it was her. One child of Earth, one daughter of the world saved all the others."

Rose swallowed thickly from her place at the door, trying to ignore the tremble in her hand. She heard a sharp intake of breath from her mum who shifted even closer to the screen. People were shouting questions, but Harriet was ignoring them.

"This remarkable young woman was born to a low-income family, lost her father when she was just a baby and grew up with no one thinking she'd ever amount to anything much less be the one who saved the world's children. I won't tell you her name, she deserves her privacy, but this isn't the first time she's saved the world and I doubt it will be the last. Earth's Champion is the child that others would have handed over to the aliens." Harriet raised her chin and smirked at the camera. "I have no doubt that I will soon face a vote of confidence so I'm telling you this now so you hear it. I am telling your children this now so that they understand what they are now doesn't mean that someday they can't be even more. Someday any child could be the one who saves Earth next. Our children are safe today and it is up to us to make sure that they know how to look to the future."

The speech ended despite the questions being thrown out and Harriet was escorted off the stage. Her head was held high and she looked proud. Rose sniffed, realising that her eyes were tearing up. Reaching up a hand she started wiping away the tears. She didn't even notice her Mum standing up and watching her with a stunned expression.

"Rose?"

Looking over at her Mum, Rose forced a slight smile and sniffed. "This is what I do Mum. It isn't easy, or fun or safe, but it is so very worth it."

Then to her surprise, Jackie started crying. The woman crossed the room in a blur of pink and threw her arms around her daughter, holding her close. Rose didn't say anything, she just wrapped her arms around her mum and held her tight.

…..Next Time Champion of Time ….

Stopping in her tracks, Rose trembled as the air was forced from her lungs. There was a pressure in her head quickly conjuring up a headache that she pushed her way past as she looked around. She couldn't see anything special about the area and there were other people moving about as if everything was normal. Licking her lip, Rose studied the wall of the alley and tensed when she spotted some graffiti down a few feet. She wasn't sure if it was in English or her translator was activated, but the words: Bad Wolf were clear.

Rose moved forward a little more and studied the walls. Then she saw a slight shimmer in the air to her right and looked right at it. The air flickered as if it wasn't really there. Wondering if it was a hologram, Rose carefully reached her hand out and brushed at the air. An icy sensation travelled up her fingers, but Rose gasped not at the cold but at her hand. The skin shimmered and aged before her eyes only to transform again and become young as her fingers shrank. Pulling her hand away in terror, Rose examined it as she stepped back. It had reverted back to normal, but her eyes went back to the strange ripple. Something was very wrong.


	48. Champion of Time: Place Mumbai India

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-Eight: Champion of Time: Place Mumbai India

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose Marion Tyler stood at the sink of the large kitchen and dutifully washed the dishes from the morning's breakfast. Overhead she could hear the chatter and clatter of the children as they rushed about preparing for their day of school. A grunt and a groan from the main room made her chuckle.

"Insanity!" Ben Jackson sighed as he walked into the kitchen. Rose shook her hands and looked over her shoulder at him.

Ben Jackson may have been in his mid-sixties with white hair and wrinkles, but his eyes remained sharp and his jaw line was stubbornly set. His gaze softened a bit as it landed on Rose. "Sorry about this Rose. We invite you for a visit and you end up working."

"I'm just sorry that Tanvi is sick today," Rose said. It was true, she'd become fond of the little girl during the last few days. "And I'm a big girl, I can explore on my own."

"Still, you came here for Spring Break and we promised to show you around," Ben reminded her. His discomfort was clear and Rose shook her head fondly.

"Ben you're worrying about this way too much." She dried her hands on a small towel. "Seriously it's fine. And you guys took me out to the Elephanta Caves yesterday. That was amazing, but you've got a sick kid today and she is the priority."

Ben smiled a little in relief and glanced towards the main room. Overhead and noise increased and Rose was half tempted to duck under the table. The seven children in the Jacksons' care really knew how to make noise. Ben shook his head and for a moment Rose thought he might say something, but he just shook his head. Rose gave him a smile as he grabbed his keys and turned her attention back to the sink. There was a rush of footfalls and a slamming door that made the kitchen walls quiver. The noise died away and Rose breathed out a sigh of relief.

"I'm never having that many kids at once," Rose said. "No matter what the Doctor or Astra or Alistair ever says."

There were a few minutes of relative silence that Rose savoured. So far she liked India, but it was crowded and noisy even by the standards of someone who grew up in the Powell Estates. Of course, it also had amazing things to see. There were moments where it was less familiar than some of the planets Rose had been to. She smiled at the thought and started to hum softly as she finished washing the dishes.

Then she heard someone coming down the stairs and turned to find Polly Jackson walked into the kitchen. Even in her sixties Polly still had amazing cheekbones and her eyes took in the mostly clean kitchen quickly. She gave Rose a smile and pulled her long white hair up into a ponytail. Rose returned the smile and turned to the still warm kettle, pouring a cup of tea for Polly and handing it to her.

"You are a wonderful girl Rose," Polly sighed. She took the cup with a happy hum. "And don't let the others bully you into thinking otherwise."

Rose laughed at the remark and leaned against the kitchen island as Polly sat down. "Honestly as much as I love you all I'm completely willing to ignore you."

"Smart girl." Polly laughed and shook her head. "Any plans for the day then?" Polly asked. She picked up her tea and took a long sip of it as her wedding band caught in the light.

"Nothing in particular," Rose answered as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "I think I'll just look around a bit. Maybe check out some of the shopping areas."

"Just be careful," Polly cautioned Rose. The former companion fixed her brown eyes on Rose. "I know you're very capable against aliens, but Mumbai has its fair share of human dangers."

"I'll be careful," Rose promised. There was no arguing with Polly. "And you two call if you need me to grab anything."

"We will," Polly promised. "Thank you for understanding Rose. With me needing to be home with Tanvi that leaves Ben wrangling all the others by himself."

"Eight kids," Rose sighed. "You two are crazy you know that."

"It's a small orphanage," Polly pointed out with a slight frown.

"Keep telling yourself that."

Chuckling, Rose went to the front of the house to collect her things. The Jackson Orphanage was a two story building that was a home to eight little girls who had been abandoned for various reasons. Polly didn't discuss it and Rose wasn't going to ask. The house itself was a mix of Indian and western style with photographs of the girls lining the walls near the front door. Rose grabbed her shoulder bag, double-checking that she had her phone and sonic pen. Her translator was firmly behind her ear and while English was widely spoken it had already proven useful in helping Rose cope with the thicker accents.

Rose stepped outside into the side street and looked up at the sky. Mumbai wasn't the cleanest city, but a beautiful blue sky stretched out above her with wisps of clouds. So far she had avoided the really bad weather. With a spring in her step, Rose decided to head for the centre of town and see what she could find. She still needed to pick up something for her Mum, Sharon and Shareen. And maybe something for the other companions depending on what caught her eye.

It didn't take Rose too long to reach her destination and the various markets that catered to tourists. She was used to long walks and runs at this point. People were crowded together around stalls and in the walkways. The noise washed over Rose and in the corner of her eye, she saw a woman cradling her baby protectively. A sad smile tugged at her lips. The aftereffects of the alien invasion were still being seen everywhere.

Rose tried to focus on the here and now. She wandered through the small shops, noting a few trinkets that were of interest, but held off buying anything just yet. A strange shiver went up her spine, making Rose turn and look around in confusion. The weather was still very warm to her and nothing seemed out of place. Yet it happened a few more times and a sense of worry was growing. Finally, Rose abandoned the shops and started walking around the perimeter, unable to shake the suspicion that something was wrong.

"One spring break," Rose grumbled. "Is one quiet trip to visit some friends too much to ask?"

She didn't get an answer of course. Instead Rose navigated her way through one of the side streets just off the market. There were a few small restaurants and a couple of small stall shops tucked back here, but Rose ignored them. Something was tickling at her brain. The sensation was unpleasant and a jolt of worry rushed through Rose. There was a mild pressure that made her nervous and she sped up her space.

Stopping in her tracks, Rose trembled as the air was forced from her lungs. The pressure in her head increased sharply quickly conjuring up a headache that she pushed her way past as she looked around. She couldn't see anything special about the area and there were other people moving about as if everything was normal. Licking her lip, Rose studied the wall of the alley and tensed when she spotted some graffiti down a few feet. She wasn't sure if it was in English or her translator was activated, but the words: Bad Wolf were clear.

Rose moved forward a little more and studied the walls. Then she saw a slight shimmer in the air to her right and looked right at it. The air flickered as if it wasn't really there. Wondering if it was a hologram, Rose carefully reached her hand out and brushed at the air. An icy sensation travelled up her fingers, but Rose gasped not at the cold but at her hand. The skin shimmered and aged before her eyes only to transform again and become young as her fingers shrank. Pulling her hand away in terror, Rose examined it as she stepped back. It had reverted back to normal, but her eyes went back to the strange ripple. Something was very wrong.

Still, she looked around carefully. Noting the nearby businesses, Rose tried to set the location in her memory. But then in the corner of her eye, she saw someone watching her. Turning her head quickly, Rose tried to surprise them. The man was Indian in appearance, wearing a red robe-like garment and looking like he belonged on the busy street. But his eyes kept shifting over towards her and the strange point in the air. Rose frowned and watched him carefully as she started walking slowly herself so as not to attract too much attention. He looked back at her and his eyes flashed silver. Rose gasped and he began to run. Rose's muscle twitched to go after him, but the lingering cold on her back from the… whatever it was gave her pause.

Her legs were moving before Rose thought better of chasing down the Silver Lord. The pain in her head flared from just the memory of what he had done. Ahead of her he was twisting and turning through alleys. Then as she turned a corner there was a flash of silver and a thump as the man's body collapsed to the ground. It was a darker alley and Rose entered it carefully. Her eyes scanned all around her as she dropped her right hand. A gold sword appeared at Rose's call and she moved forward. But there was no one. She knelt down next to the prone form and put her hand to the side of his neck, but there was no pulse.

Holding back a shout of angry and frustration, Rose gently brushed the man's eyes closed. It made her think of Richard Beckett. She'd never gotten an answer as to if she'd ever met the real man. Rose pulled out her phone and dialled 112, remembering Polly's lecture when she first arrived and looked around. There was a sign from the business it was behind. Rose quickly reported the body in the back alley but hung up before giving her name. She turned and quickly walked out of the alley. UNIT India could probably help if she got into trouble, but there was no time for red tape. The Silver Lord was finally making another move.

Slowly she retraced her steps to the where the strange spot had been. Her heart was pounding and worry gripped her heart. Had she made a mistake going after the Silver Lord? Had he just been trying to get her away from the… whatever it was or did he just want her to think that? A cold shiver overtook Rose and she grit her teeth. She was getting close. A couple of tourists walked past her, chatting happily about their purchases. They didn't notice the cold at all. Up ahead Rose saw the shimmer in the wall one again, but there was no sign of anyone near it.

Biting her bottom lip, Rose slipped back into the alley, forcing herself to ignore the strange feeling and pulled out her phone. She scrolled down to the TARDIS number and pressed it before bringing the phone to her ear. However, only a faint static met her and Rose frowned.

"Not again!" She tried again, but it was still just static. "Come on TARDIS! We're past the fixed point in time!" Rose nervously looked down at the phone. "Aren't we?"

There was only silence to her question and Rose slipped her phone back into her bag. She resumed walking, her eyes searching the walls and shadows for anything else strange. The icy sensation was still travelling up and down her spine, but Rose couldn't see anything else. Around her, the hum of the city seemed to be fading away which only added to her unease.

Walking into the side alley, Rose looked around for any sign of the Silver Lord or anything else strange. Her eyes landed on a very unexpected, but familiar tall blue box. The TARDIS was parked in a small corner of the alley, tucked between a pair of buildings. Breathing out in relief, Rose began to walk towards it, but movement at the far end of the alley made her stop. Just in case it was the Silver Lord again, Rose pressed herself back into the shadows and waited. A moment later a figure came strolling down the alley, twirling an umbrella and whistling lightly to themselves.

He was about the same height as her, dressed in a vest covered in question marks with a dark brown jacket. There was a Panama hat with a burgundy ribbon on his head over his brown hair. His features were stern and thoughtful and Rose recognised him at once as the seventh incarnation of the Doctor. Lingering in the shadows, she waited and watched for a moment just in case a younger Ace was about to appear. However, he seemed to be alone and Rose silently debated with herself as to what to do.

The Doctor had a stern and worried expression on his face that told Rose he was here about the time hole. Pressing her lips together Rose stepped back into the shadows and held her breath. This was the incarnation that was supposed to be the Champion of Time. Maybe it was for the best if she left him to it. He didn't know her yet and Rose didn't exactly want to see the Silver Lord again. The Doctor walked to the TARDIS and reached into the pocket, humming softly.

Then he suddenly stopped and straightened up. Sharp light blue eyes scanned the shadows and landed on her moment later. He leaned on his umbrella, somehow intimidating and not at all both at the same time.

"I suggest you come out of the shadows," the Doctor said. His accent had just a touch of Scottish to it this time. "Spying will gain you nothing."

Rose hesitated, but then stepped out into the sunlight. She waited for any sign of recognition, but none came. His eyes widened slightly as he took her in, but there was no glimmer of recognition in his eyes. The Doctor's frown deepened for a moment and Rose wondered just what he could see. She still wasn't clear on just how he saw her timelines and what they'd tell him now. Holding her breath, Rose waited for the Doctor to say something.


	49. Champion of Time: Crossing Timelines

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-Nine: Champion of Time: Crossing Timelines

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

The Seventh Doctor levelled his sharp blue eyes on Rose and she struggled not to fidget. Everything she'd learned about this incarnation from Ace and Mel assured her that he was still every bit the good man she loved, but that he had a serious tendency for playing chess with those around him. His gaze was considering and Rose imagined that he was already trying to determine how she fit into everything. She almost smiled, she was the Queen even if he didn't know it yet.

"Hello," Rose said. She gave him a soft tongue on teeth smile. "Sorry if I startled you, mister."

His expression made it clear that he didn't buy the innocent act. Rose wasn't surprised, but worry was churning her stomach. The Silver Lord was here and the wrong Doctor. She pushed the thought to the side. He was still the Doctor and he was watching her thoughtfully.

"Are you going to tell me who you are?" the Doctor questioned. His tone was almost friendly, but Rose didn't believe it. "I'm afraid that I have something I need to deal with."

"Then you are here about the-" Rose cut herself off, but gestured down the alley. Her eyes jumped over to the TARDIS. "Okay you don't know me yet and this might be dangerous," Rose rambled slightly as she took in the Doctor. "But I need your help."

"There is a rip in Time," the Doctor said sharply. His eyes narrowed on her. "And you… you're connected with it!"

"No, I'm not," Rose insisted urgently, hurt flaring in her chest. "At least not intentionally."

"Your timeline is a mess," the Doctor insisted. "It's too bright for a human's, it twists and turns and knots itself!" He huffed, the words rolling off with a Scottish burr. "Am I truly to believe that an anomaly like you just happened to stumble across a rip in Time?"

"No I didn't just stumble on it," Rose tried to explain as she struggled to keep her temper. The accusing tone of his voice was surprisingly hurtful. She took a deep breath to regain control, reminding herself that he didn't know her. "I was here visiting some friends and something felt wrong!"

"Felt wrong?!" the Doctor snorted as his Scottish accent thickened. "Felt wrong?!" He was trying to make her angry and it was working.

"Yes!" Rose snapped back before trying to reign in her temper. "Like suddenly being dunked into an ice bath."

"Then surely it would be best if you were to distance yourself from it at once don't you agree," the Doctor remarked. His tone was friendly again and slightly patronising though the chill was still present in his eyes. "It will be addressed." With that, he turned and began to stalk away leaving Rose gawking at him.

She only wondered for a moment if she should just leave it to him, but her gut instinct made itself known. This was the Silver Lord. He was her enemy and this Doctor had never encountered him before. "Doctor!" Rose called after him, worry rising painfully in her chest. "Wait!"

He didn't stop and Rose knew that tension in his shoulders enough to know that he'd gone into stubborn 'I know best' mode. She almost shouted in frustration, why was he always such an idiot?! He was even twirling that umbrella as if to mock her.

"I know your name!" Rose said as calmly as she could. Her voice was soft, but she knew that he would still hear her.

He did. The Doctor stopped his umbrella half up in the air before he slowly brought it down to the ground. The soft tap almost echoed in the suddenly quiet alley. Rose could hear the sound as it tapped the ground and the Doctor turned back to her. There was no shock or surprise visible on his face; instead, he looked completely calm and even a little amused.

"Of course you do." The Doctor had a hint of a smile on his face, but Rose wasn't fooled by the friendly show. A warning was already glinting in his eyes. "It's the Doctor."

"No." Rose chuckled; relaxing a little more now that she had his attention. "That's what Ian and Barbara started introducing you as since you never told them a name," Rose reminded him. She began to close the distance between them, watching with a bit of smugness as his blue eyes flashed for a moment. "And then you adopted it, you chose to become the Doctor." She shrugged and offered him a real smile. "It is who you are certainly and I call you the Doctor, but there is another name. One you haven't used in a long long time. One you had buried, even on Gallifrey." Her smile softened as she recalled one of their quieter dates. "You told me that you had the official records changed so your name was Doctor even there."

There was a moment of silence as the Doctor studied her. "And you claim to know it," the Doctor murmured as he took a few more steps towards her. "A what- twenty-year-old girl from London."

"Almost twenty-two and yet much older," Rose countered calmly. "You know better than most how deceiving the body can be. It's the mind that matters and I've lived a lot longer in other lives, thanks to the Silver Lord. He's the one behind this and I can't let you go up against him alone."

"The Silver Lord," the Doctor repeated. He took another couple of steps towards her. Rose almost grinned, at least he was properly listening now. "Bit pretentious."

"That's one way to describe him certainly," Rose agreed darkly. She shivered at the memory of the Silver Lord just abandoning another body. "Along with vicious, cruel and manipulative." She sighed and shook her head, "Not to mention vengeful. He's part Chronovore, Doctor, and was imprisoned in the Void for a long time before escaping to Earth. He'll rip that hole open further Doctor, he'll destroy and consume all of Time itself if he isn't stopped. Trust me on that, I've had dealings with him before." She swallowed. "He's already killed one human here, Doctor. He possesses them and then leaves them."

"Who are you?" the Doctor questioned sharply. "You can't really be a human. Some sort of Eternal?" His frown deepened and his eyes took her in quickly. Rose suspected that in jeans and a Cambridge t-shirt with her hair in a ponytail she wasn't very impressive. "Guardian?"

"Funny," Rose chuckled humorlessly. "The Master asked me that once, but I'll answer you honestly. I'm human, an ally of the Guardians of the Universe and someone you trust enough to tell your real name."

"Don't be absurd," the Doctor scoffed even as Rose caught another flash of hesitation beneath the mask.

He met her eyes squarely in a silent challenge, his blue eyes boring into her own brown ones. After having heard so much about this incarnation from Mel and Ace, Rose was surprised that she didn't find it hard to meet the look at all. Thanks to the heel of her boots they were the same height and Rose almost smiled as she marvelled at not having to look up at a Doctor. He was always taller than her, though this one only had an inch on her. The thought made her smile and the Doctor looked irritated that his stare down didn't have the desired effect.

"You're not at all afraid of me are you," the Doctor remarked with genuine surprise.

"Don't be absurd," Rose echoed with a smile before taking a tentative step forward.

The Doctor didn't move and Rose leaned forward, closed her eyes and allowed the name burned into her mind to spring to her lips. It came out as a long melodic whisper and Rose stepped back in time to see a look of shock on the Doctor's face. Then a sigh escaped him and the Doctor reached up and adjusted his hat thoughtfully. He didn't meet her eyes. Rose was silent, knowing that he needed to process this. It wasn't every day that a Time Lord discovered they were engaged to a human.

"It seems that I owe you an apology," the Doctor finally said. He looked very confused. Rose wondered if this incarnation, the schemer as his later selves would refer to him as felt that often. She rather doubted it. "I am sorry if I insulted you."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Rose said. She gave him a soft smile despite the seriousness of the situation. "Let's try this again." She took a breath for courage. "I'm Rose Tyler, a future friend of yours."

"Friend," the Doctor all but snorted. "We both know that I wouldn't just tell-" He stopped himself and shook his head. He clicked the tip of his umbrella on the street and leaned on it a little. "Rip in Time then, what do you know?"

"Not much," Rose admitted. "Like I said I was here visiting and I just came across this area where everything felt wrong… really really wrong, but I couldn't really understand it. I caught sight of a local man, but then his eyes flashed silver. That's a sign of the Silver Lord. I tried to catch him, but he left the man, he was dead, and I headed back here." Rose shivered a little. "Wasn't hard to find once I was looking for it. Like you said I'm from London so the chill of it is very distinct in the Indian heat."

"Interesting," the Doctor murmured, looking at her in open curiosity now. "You felt this… most humans don't have the awareness to locate a temporal anomaly."

"Yeah well, I'm a bit of an anomaly myself." Rose chuckled a bit nervously. The earlier fear about timelines returned with a vengeance. "I have a very odd history. Part of the reason for the odd timeline."

"So why not call your Doctor?" he questioned with what Rose thought might just be a hint of jealousy. "Surely he would have come."

"You're all my Doctor," Rose answered with a soft smile. "Even if you don't know it. But to answer your question I can't get through to the TARDIS. I tried to call some version of you that knows me, but the call wouldn't go through. I'm not sure if it's the temporal rip or you already being here. Then I saw your TARDIS and figured it couldn't be a coincidence."

"This is potentially paradoxical," the Doctor muttered thoughtfully, looking away from her.

"But manageable, right?" Rose asked.

"Indeed," the Doctor replied with a hint of defeat. "I can erase the memory once this is sorted."

"Good," Rose said. She sighed in relief. "That had me worried, whenever I meet you I usually just try to pass under the radar. Not be memorable."

"We've met before then?"

"Not this you," Rose clarified. "But yeah I've now met all of you at least once."

"Truly?"

"First body in Rome, second body in Athens, third body while on a mission for the White Guardian, fourth in Paris," Rose told him watching as his eyes widened slightly. "Fifth in New York outside the MET after I stopped an Osirian not that I told you that then, sixth body at the Tower of London and well I have met your next four bodies as well."

"I see," the Doctor said slowly. He looked towards the TARDIS for a moment and then shook his head. "Well, it seems that I have some help in sorting out this little problem. Half Chornovore you said?"

"Yeah, he was locked outside of the universe by the Guardians," Rose said. "Half Eternal."

"A nasty mix." The Doctor's expression was distasteful. "And very dangerous. You've faced him before."

"Yeah…" Rose hesitated. "He's come after me personally before." She managed a weak shrug. "I can't tell you about that."

"I'll have to forget when this is all over."

"Maybe, but we shouldn't throw all caution to the wind," Rose reminded him.

Approval took over the Doctor's face and he nodded. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small key. He shifted over to the TARDIS and unlocked the door, pushing it open and gesturing Rose inside. With a slight smile, Rose stepped into the TARDIS and looked around as the thick familiar smell of time filled her sense. The TARDIS interior was larger than she was used to with wood panelling on the walls. It wasn't like Ace had described and Rose was left to wonder how long it had been since the Doctor had last seen her.

"I take it she is different than you're used to?" the Doctor questioned as he moved around her. He walked to the console controls which were a mix of old school electronics and a bit of steampunk.

"A bit," Rose agreed.

She stepped up to the console and brushed her fingers gently down the centre column. The TARDIS hummed softly in response and Rose felt a soft brush at the edge of her mind. She almost tensed up, but it was so comforting that somehow it didn't alarm her. In the corner of her eye, she saw the Doctor watching her with a curious evaluating expression, but didn't mention it.

Instead, Rose shifted back from the controls and watched the Doctor as he moved around them, adjusting knobs and making small thoughtful sounds. There was one screen on the controls and was slowly changing and flashing that Rose moved over to watch. The silence in the TARDIS was uncomfortable and Rose crossed her arms, trying not to fidget. As confident as she'd tried to act outside the worry was still sharp. This hadn't been one of her thoughts for the day. Her phone suddenly rang making Rose jump. She scrambled for the phone while the Doctor glanced her way.

"Sorry," Rose apologised. Raising the phone to her ear, Rose greeted the caller with a quick hello. Not even considering checking the caller ID. "Tyler."

"Rose?" Polly's voice greeted. "I was just checking in to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine, Polly," Rose assured her. The Doctor straightened up and looked towards her with a hint of alarm. "Just…" Rose hesitated for a moment. "Look I found something. Not sure what yet, but I'm working on sorting it out. If you can get the kids back home and just stay there."

"Are we safe in Mumbai?"

"Probably… look it's the Silver Lord so just try to stay out of things."

"You sure you'll be alright?" Polly pressed. "I know you're capable, but you shouldn't do this alone."

"I'm not alone and I'll call the local UNIT if I need more help," Rose promised. "Try not to worry and I'll be back when I can."

"Is the Doctor with you?" Polly asked.

"Yes he's here, we're fine and we'll sort this. I really don't have time to talk right now, Polly."

"Alright alright. Stay safe and give the old man my love."

"Right," Rose all but sighed. "Okay, stay inside."

The call ended and Rose let out a long sigh, aware that the Doctor was watching her. "Polly sends her love."

"The friend you were visiting?"

"The Jacksons, yeah afraid so." Rose chuckled and gave him a smile. "Sorry Doctor, but you'll get used to it."

Something on the console beeped, drawing the Doctor's attention back to it. He made a thoughtful noise that Rose recognised all too well. Moving up next to him, Rose looked at the display. Ripples were moving out from a centre point and Rose could guess that the TARDIS was tracking the rip.

"So what are we dealing with?" Rose asked.

"Don't you know?" the Doctor countered.

"Don't fish, Doctor," Rose said. "Besides you're the brains of this operation, I'm the common sense."

"Ah is that how it works?"

"Something like that," Rose replied with a smile. The corners of his lips curled up a bit even though he still seemed a bit uncomfortable. Her expression became more serious. "What are we dealing with?"

"I'm not sure how, but he's created a small temporal vortex. Basically, he's ripped a hole in time letting energy from the vortex seep out. As a part Chronovore, he might just be looking for a meal."

"So everyone in the area is getting dosed with Arton energy," Rose said thoughtfully. She rested her tongue on her teeth. "So is it dangerous to the city?"

"At the moment no, but if it continues too long then the instability will cause the vortex to reverse."

"Sucking the people and city into the Time Vortex," Rose finished. "Which they can't survive."

"No, but why?" The Doctor questioned. He tapped the question mark handle of his umbrella against his chin before turning back to Rose. "You say he's an enemy of yours, is it possible that this plan is meant against you."

"Very likely," Rose agreed without hesitation. "He's tried to kill me or stop my personal future several times. The odd thing is that he is often allied with the Trickster, but all this Arton energy will keep the Trickster far away from here."

"Another thing to consider is that this distortion could still be altered," the Doctor pointed out. "We mustn't assume that he's done with what he's working on."

"What else he could do with it?"

"Create a weak point in time, possibly even some sort of fixed point with enough manipulation of the temporal energy." The Doctor paused and hummed thoughtfully. "Of course the same could be said of us."

Rose looked his way, smiling a little. "Oh?"

"We could trap him in his own distortion," the Doctor said. His expression was calm, but he was watching her reaction.

Rose's eyes widened and she couldn't help but smile. She leaned forward a bit. "I'm listening."


	50. Champion of Time: The Rip

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty: Champion of Time: The Rip

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose waited for a moment and the Doctor considered her. "We control the building of the Artron energy," was all he said.

The Doctor in his seventh body wasn't much of one to share his plans. He hummed thoughtfully at her and managed a small smile before hurrying over to a shelf. Trying not to glare at him, Rose pressed her lips together and leaned against the console. Patience, she reminded herself. A man that had fled Gallifrey and later been divorced by his first wife just learned that he was going to marry a human. It had to be a bit much for him. She'd been more than a little shocked herself when this whole messy timeline thing started.

The Doctor plucked an odd looking black box off the shelf that had a series of buttons on it. Rose recognised it after a moment as the same sort of device, maybe even the same device, that the Doctor had given Jack to gather Artron energy so he could bring the TARDIS to her wedding.

"That gathers Artron energy right?" Rose asked before she thought better of it.

Looking towards her, the Doctor nodded slowly. "Indeed," he agreed. "The fluxes of Artron energy help power a small temporal field generator. I have it set so that it usually ignores the TARDIS itself and use it to isolate problematic areas from time to time."

Rose relaxed, pleased at his attempt to share. He shifted a little and Rose recognised that he was uncomfortable, but trying. The Doctor seemed ready to say more and trying to sort it out in his head. Taking pity on him, Rose smiled and nodded a little.

"So you're going to use it to turn the rip into what… a bubble of time?"

The Doctor appeared a bit surprised again, but Rose could sort of envision it in her head. For a moment there was a slight pressure at the side of her head, but it passed quickly. Rose noted it, however. It was familiar from the recent use of the telepathic hub and honestly further back than that. If this had been a Doctor comfortable with her then she might have asked. Instead, Rose glanced at the door. The Doctor caught her look and nodded, gesturing towards the door. He all but scurried away from her, seeming to hesitate again and look towards the console with a hint of worry.

Rose held back a sigh. Even knowing his name he was still a little suspicious of her. Then again she supposed that the Black Guardian really could have found out his name at some point. She could be patient with him. They stepped outside the Doctor lead the way back towards the rip. It was just down another side alley and Rose looked around cautiously. There was no sign of the Silver Lord. There was no sign of anyone else.

"Doctor, would this rip repel humans on instinct?" Rose asked.

Frowning, the Doctor looked around. "Not automatically," he answered. "I see your point. This is Mumbai, one of the largest cities in India. Backstreet or not there should be more people." He glanced her away again thoughtfully and then down at the device in his hand. "You have knowledge of the Silver Lord, how clever is he?"

"I'd say he's very clever," Rose said. "And fairly patient."

"Hmmm," the Doctor hummed to himself. "Stay here for a moment. I'm going to deploy this, but we're going to monitor it remotely." He looked at her with a silent challenge in his eyes before he turned and headed for the door.

Rose grit her teeth, chaffing under the order but stayed put. This Doctor was trying her patience. She fidgeted uneasily, disliking him being out there on his own, but she supposed he was a Time Lord and should be safe enough. The TARDIS hummed and Rose smiled a little.

"I suppose he did trust me alone with you," Rose said. "That's something at least." She raised a hand and brushed it across the glowing column. "And to be fair to him this isn't an easy situation."

The screen changed and Rose's eyes dropped to it instantly. Frowning, she took in the slight changes to the speed of the ripples. They seemed to be slowing down, but only a little. Rose nibbled at her lip, wondering just what the Doctor was planning. She studied the ripples for a moment and thought about what he'd said. Maybe he was testing her; Ace had said he was bad at that. Her fingers tapped against the edge of the screen thoughtfully.

Okay, so he wanted to control the building on the Artron energy. Maybe the energy could be shaped into a sphere or something. No, the Silver Lord was part Chronovore so it needed to be more than that. Then again Artron energy was the radiation of the Time Vortex. It wasn't time itself so maybe he wouldn't just be able to eat his way through it.

Rose gasped softly as the air in front of them shimmered. The soft lights of the TARDIS suddenly dimmed even as light filled the console room. A man in a neat white suit with white hair appeared next to the console. While his image was fuzzy and flickered, Rose recognised him easily.

"White Guardian," she said. She was only mildly surprised at his appearance.

Staying next to the console controls, Rose glanced towards the door, but the Doctor had yet to return. The White Guardians' image flickered as if he was some sort of hologram. Rose frowned. This was familiar from one of Tegan's stories and she didn't like the similarity. The figure opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"I can't hear you," Rose said. She was sure to move her lips clearly in case he couldn't hear her either. "Please repeat."

The TARDIS door opened and Rose looked towards the Doctor quickly, almost nervously. This wasn't her fault. The Doctor's eyes widened slightly as he strode forward towards the controls.

"White Guardian," the Doctor greeted. His voice was pleasant enough, but Rose picked up on the underlying steel in his tone. The projection flickered, its mouth moving and the Doctor grumbled. "Not this again."

"Doctor, Miss Tyler," the White Guardian said. The voice cleared even as the projection all but faded. "Silver Lord attempting explosion of the Time Vortex."

"We guessed as much," the Doctor replied.

"Yes but he-" the image suddenly cut off.

The Doctor spun to the controls and began adjusting them. The lights dimmed and he looked towards where the White Guardian had been with worry. Rose stepped back to stay out of the way. The TARDIS lights flickered again and the Doctor looked around with a hint of impatience. This time a black figure draped in shadows appeared and the TARDIS seemed quieter and darker than before. The Doctor straightened up, resting his hand on a lever as he glared at the figure. Rose glanced between the Doctor and the figure nervously before stepping forward.

"Black Guardian, is there more of a message?" Rose questioned. "We're trying to reverse the Silver Lord's energy drain."

"The Silver Lord is trying to pull Earth into the Time Vortex," the Black Guardian's voice rang around them.

"The whole planet," the Doctor repeated doubtfully. "A city fine, but the whole planet-"

"The whole planet," the Black Guardian interrupted. He gave the Doctor a distasteful look. On instinct, Rose stepped protectively towards the Doctor and gave the Black Guardian a warning look. "He's attempting to collapse the Web of Time through Earth. He must be stopped."

"You like destruction," the Doctor said.

The Black Guardian's eyes narrowed and Rose felt a chill up her spine. Worry churned in her chest and she took another protective step towards the Doctor. The Black Guardian's eyes jumped over to her and something like resignation overtook his features for a moment.

"I would kill you if I could Doctor, but you are protected now," the Black Guardian growled. "I am still a Guardian. The universe must survive." Then the Black Guardian opened his mouth and tried to speak once more, but no sound came forth. Rose looked towards the Doctor in alarm and he adjusted a few controls, but then the image faded out. The lights of the TARDIS grew brighter and Rose glanced around hopefully, but they were alone.

Rose looked over at the Doctor. This wouldn't help anything and she frowned. What had the Guardians so worried? Sure a rip in time sounded and felt like bad news, but it seemed that there was more to it than that. The Doctor looked equally uneasy and tapped the handle of his umbrella to his chin for a moment.

"There is more here than I know," the Doctor muttered. His eyes moved over to Rose. "You seem at ease with the Guardians." He paused for a moment. "You've met them before."

"It's-"

"Complicated?" the Doctor muttered giving Rose a look. "If you know me as well as it seems then you must know my history with the Black Guardian."

"Yeah Key to Time, he sent an agent after you and Romana. You stopped him and he threatened revenge. A regeneration later he tried to get Turlough to kill you and there was that whole Enlightenment thing," Rose rambled off before sighing. "Not your most interesting adventures to be honest, but not bad," she teased him with a smile. "But thing is that even the Black Guardian is still a Guardian. While he may want the universe in chaos and evil to be supreme he does need there to be a universe. The impression I get is that something is happening or is going to happen that puts that in question. And they need me, I'm important to keeping the universe going." Rose shrugged and looked away from the Doctor, not quite able to meet the curious blue eyes she knew were fixed on her. "It's in my future and I try not to theorise about it, but I'm human and I can't help but ask why."

"Do you trust the Black Guardian?" the Doctor questioned.

"Actually… yes," Rose replied slowly. "I mean he drives me crazy and I don't like him exactly, but… well yeah, I trust him. Sort of an instinct I suppose. I don't exactly like the White Guardian either, to be honest, but I trust him all the same. Then again I suppose I'm good, but more than a little chaotic so there's a bit of both in who I am." Rose shook her head and looked over at him with a soft smile. "It feels so wrong talking to you about this Doctor. The you in my personal future knows how all this plays out and the you in my present doesn't know the whole story about my interactions with you in the future."

"You are quite a puzzle Rose Tyler," the Doctor said slowly. "But I suppose I will trust your judgement on the Guardians for the time being."

"Still not convinced this isn't a trap?" Rose questioned with a small smirk tugging at her lips.

"A trap such as you would have required much more imagination than I believe the Black Guardian possesses." There was a hint of humour in his eyes that warmed Rose instantly.

"I'll choose to take that as a compliment," Rose chuckled warmly. She gestured to the door. "Come on Doctor, world to save and Web of Time to protect."

The Doctor gave her a warmer smile then and Rose couldn't help but grin in return as her heart did that annoying little jump it liked to do when he was around. She almost blushed as he moved past her and opened the door. Really she was a little too weak around him. As they stepped outside the Doctor seemed conflicted for a moment, but then offered her his arm. Rose's smile widened and she accepted it eagerly, letting the Doctor start guiding here back towards the distortion.

It didn't take long to get close enough for Rose to feel the effects. Rose shuddered as the icy sensation hit her once again. The Doctor glanced her way and even offered her a slight reassuring smile. He still seemed very confused and uneasy, but Rose appreciated the show of concern. After all, she reminded herself, his Ninth form had run from her not that long ago. The whole wall was now shimmering and Rose was catching glimpses of ripples of bright red, gold and blue across the surface. It was familiar and she blinked in surprise as the Doctor dropped her arm and moved closer. The device was on the ground just in front of the distortion with flashing red lights.

Soft whispers echoed through Rose's head and a tune began to fill her ears. It was haunting and she knew that she'd heard it before. Before her, the vortex pulsed and Rose's eyes widened as the strange energy washed over her skin. The chill faded away to the back of her consciousness. A warm hand grabbed hers and someone called her name. The voice had a familiar ring to it, but the accent and pitch were different. Then the hand shook her gently, but enough to make her blink.

The pressure in her head made Rose squeeze her eyes shut. Shaking her head, she looked towards the voice as they called her again. It was the Doctor, looking at her with worried blue eyes. Rose tried to force a smile, but another chill rushed over her and something tickled at the edge of her consciousness. Before she could think better of it, Rose looked over at the rip. Something was moving inside it, making the ripples of colour shift and twist in a way that made her stomach drop.

The creatures fell out of the rip. They were different shapes and sizes, but all were completely black with strange shimmers rolling across the dark surface of their skin. It was like staring into a swirl of darkness with small stars dying as the void overcame them. Next to her, the Doctor made a sound of alarm. One of the creatures turned to look at him sharply, strange eyes glittering in the low light.

"Neverweres," the Doctor whispered.

The horror in his voice told Rose everything she needed to know. Shifting her right hand, Rose summoned her sword forth and raised it in front of her. Then the creatures lashed forward. Moving forward, Rose brought the blade up to block the attack. The strange skin brightened, illuminating an alien face with high cheekbones and dark green skin. Rose twisted the blade as the creature fought back and released a high pitched scream, slicing into the dark shadowed flesh. Four vacant eyes stared at her before it vanished in a burst of light. Another lunged at her and Rose's eyes widened as more and more fell from the rip.

The icy sensation hit her in the chest making her heart tighten and all the hairs on her arm stand on end. Wrongness flooded through her and Rose feared she'd be ill. However, her body kept moving and brought the sword up to block attack after attack. As the blade moved too close to the creatures the strange blackness around them melted away, but there was no reason in their eyes; only sparks of madness.

"Back to the TARDIS!" the Doctor's voice shouted.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Rose's hand shifted to keep the sword firmly between the Doctor, her, and the creatures as more of them fell into her world. Then the Doctor grabbed her left hand and pulled her further away. They broke into a run, rushing for the TARDIS.


	51. Champion of Time: Sword Edge

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-One: Champion of Time: Sword Edge

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Somehow the Doctor's hand found Rose's as they rushed down the alley. Their fingers slipped into a familiar position to her though it wasn't to the Doctor. But there was no time for a sense of happiness or satisfaction as horrible shrieks behind them made Rose's blood turn cold. No longer was the sensation of being near the rip restricted to the rip. Rose felt it at her back as if it was chasing them.

Up ahead was the familiar blue shape of the TARDIS. An extra burst of energy thrummed through Rose's limbs and she made it to the door. Beside her, the Doctor was reaching into his pocket, but Rose was quicker with the key around her neck. Unlocking the door, Rose pushed the Doctor in first before jumping inside. As she slammed the door behind her, Rose heard the thrum of the console followed by the familiar wheezing sound. Her knees almost gave out in the relief as the icy feeling faded away.

"I'm moving us a few blocks away," the Doctor said. There was almost frantic worry in his voice. "This is worse than the Guardians said."

"You called those things neverweres," Rose asked. She walked up to the controls and looked at the Doctor nervously. "Is that… what it sounds like? They're beings that were erased."

"Most of the time beings that cease to be merely fade away," the Doctor answered. The TARDIS landed with a soft thump that Rose barely felt. It was much smoother than in her own timeline. "But sometimes if an event is traumatic it leaves a scar on the fabric of time and creates neverweres." The Doctor adjusted the hat. "I've never seen so many at once. What could have possibly happened to create so many?"

Rose was silent, feeling the spectre of the future Time War hanging over them. Lowering her eyes, Rose studied the console screen. She didn't trust herself not to give something away. Yet her reaction must have told the Doctor something because a sigh escaped him.

"Well, they complicate things greatly."

The Doctor moved around the controls and reached out to take Rose's right hand. She almost smiled until he turned her arm so he could examine her golden bracelet. Holding back a sigh, Rose stayed still and waited patiently for the Doctor to state the obvious.

"This is a Star Knight blade in its dormant form, correct?"

"Yeah, it is."

"The blade was effective is dispersing the Neverweres," the Doctor observed. His tone was thoughtful and Rose felt that growing hope that happened every time she heard a plan forming in his voice. "The sword was made by the White Guardian correct?"

"Yes." Rose nodded quickly. "But I'm not sure I can fight all of them at one Doctor."

"That would be far too risky," the Doctor agreed. "Far too dangerous for you." There was something in his tone that while guarded made Rose feel a lot better. The Doctor was watching her carefully and Rose guessed that he was once again examining whatever timelines he could see around her. "A Star Knight as well it seems." He released her hand and stepped back. "I'm afraid cannot heal the rip until I can get closer, but fighting our way through will never work. I'm afraid trapping the Silver Lord is now our secondary goal."

Part of Rose rebelled at the idea. Shuddering, she forced herself to nod and did her best to ignore the memory of the Silver Lord kissing her. The memory of his smiling face, while he posed as Richard Becket and how easily he'd taken control, were bitter and left her uneasy. Yet the memory of those strange and vacant creatures made some instinct in her want to fight. Something about them overpowered even her hatred and dread of the Silver Lord. Rose wasn't sure what it all meant and this wasn't the time to examine that. She'd try to sort it out later and if she couldn't then it would just go on the 'might understand someday' pile.

"Okay," Rose agreed. "What do we need to do Doctor?"

"Do you have a way to contact the White Guardian?" the Doctor asked. There was an urgency to his voice and his gaze dropped to the golden bracelet once more.

"No," Rose said. "I'm afraid not." She shifted uncomfortably under the Doctor's blue gaze. "He and the Black Guardian or the White Guardian's disciple just sort of show up when they want to. I don't have a lot of agency in that relationship I'm afraid."

The Doctor looked put out by her words, but just nodded slowly. There was a thoughtful gleam in his eyes and a Rose could all but see the questions taking over his mind. He pushed it all away quickly and turned back to the console screen.

"This isn't good," he muttered. "I hate to do it, but…" He shook his head and reached for a highly stylised knob on the controls that Rose had never seen before.

"Hate to do what?"

"Call the other Time Lords," the Doctor said. Rose barely held back a gasp, but straightened up in alarm as her eyes widened. Worry hit her in the chest hard and she had no idea if it was safe or even stable for her to interact with any other Time Lords given that she knew their eventual future. "Rose if they ask you are my current companion. Nothing more, do you understand. It is for your own safety."

"Yes Doctor," she forced out. Rose saw relief take over his features, but it didn't ease her own worry.

The Doctor pressed the knob and waited, but nothing happened. "No," he growled. "Too late."

"What's happened?"

"The release of the neverweres has expanded the temporal distortion," the Doctor replied darkly. "I can't contact Gallifrey. We're on our own."

Rose got the impression that the Doctor might have been relieved by that. Something in his voice certainly carried a hint of satisfaction that there would be no other Time Lords. She wasn't sure what to make of that. In his future, he'd speak honestly about his dissatisfaction with his own species and his outright disdain for how they turned out in the end, but there was always a sense of loss and grief. Rose honestly wasn't sure if he would ever fully make peace with the death of the Time Lords. Or their lives as his current self didn't seem to like them much at all.

"So what do we do?" Rose asked. "Any thoughts on how to push them back?" Rose glanced towards the door, wondering just how far the Doctor had moved them. "Doctor I don't mind going out there. Not if it protects Earth. I'm pretty sure I'd be alright."

The Doctor's eyes moved over to look at her in an instant. There was calculation in his stare again followed by a burst of understanding that made Rose feel a bit uneasy. Then he nodded to himself and glanced at the TARDIS console screen.

"You may have crossed your own timeline in your past Rose," he said calmly as if this was a standard sort of conversation. "But we don't need the risk of a paradox on top of things." His blue eyes met hers and Rose saw a flicker of worry. "Or worse you becoming some sort of neverwere." He shook his head as the console screen beeped softly. "There's already far more than I ever dreamed would exist. This Silver Lord has tapped into something terrible and violent."

Staying silent, Rose brought her right hand up to brush some hair from her face. The Doctor hummed thoughtfully and stepped towards her. Holding out his hand, he gave her a small smile.

"May I?"

Rose nodded and the Doctor took her hand once more. He studied the bracelet and ran a finger over the smooth surface. There was nothing marking the bracelet at all and Rose wasn't sure what the Time Lord was looking for.

"Can you summon the blade for me?" he asked.

Once again, Rose nodded and shifted her hand to make sure that the blade didn't strike the Doctor. The bracelet transformed in a moment and Rose kept her hand still while the Doctor studied the sword.

"Yes," he said with a growing smile. "I think I have an idea."

"I'm not sure I like that smile," Rose replied nervously.

He chuckled at the remark and the smile turned much more pleasant. "It would seem that you do indeed know me well Rose Tyler." The Doctor turned back to the controls and flipped a lever making the hum of the TARDIS change slightly. "I'm afraid that you're not going to like my plan."

Eyes widening, Rose gave him a cautious look and her eye dropped down to her bracelet as the inkling of an idea took hold. Her gut agreed with the Doctor. She was probably going to hate this. He gave her what he probably hoped was a reassuring smile.

"I should have what we need in the store room," the Doctor said. "Come along Rose."

The storeroom was largely unchanged from how Rose knew it. Bits and pieces of machines and spare parts filled the round space, covering all the shelves and a couple of worktables. He quickly set to work gathering up some of the bits and bobs, some of which were familiar to Rose while others weren't. She debated offering to help but had the feeling that it wouldn't be welcome by this him. Instead, she carefully removed an old school computer from a chair and sat down to watch him.

Rose marvelled as she watched the Doctor. Even now he moved the same. The stride might be a bit different, but every movement was deliberate. He loaded a bunch of small pieces onto one of the work tables and became turning and arranging them. Nibbling at her lip for a moment, Rose slipped off her chair and moved to the side of the table to watch. The Doctor's eyes jumped up to her as Rose tried to follow what he was doing.

"So how did you become a Star Knight?" the Doctor asked conversationally. He had pulled out a sonic screwdriver that was longer than she was used to and white in colour with a diamond-like shape on the end. It still made the same sound as he passed it over a piece of metal. "There aren't many of the swords."

"No there aren't," Rose agreed. "I was eighteen at the time and had gone aboard a Durmino ship. It was a thing with UNIT and I was trying to save some people that a rogue Durmino general had taken prisoner. The ship was transporting the sword as an archaeological artefact, but during the final scuffle I ended up touching it. It did a data dump on how to use a sword into my head and I defeated the general." Rose shrugged a little, rubbing at her arms and trying to dispel the last of the lingering chill. "It was a pretty good day overall."

"Eighteen years old and you were already embroiled in such things?" There might have been a hint of disapproval in his voice, but Rose thought it was directed more at the universe in general than just her. "I take it that your adventure wasn't an isolated event."

"No," Rose admitted. There was a smile tugging at her lips now and she rather enjoyed the look of surprise on his face. "I've had fairly consistent adventures for the last couple of years now. I work as a consultant for UNIT. This was just a vacation."

"A consultant," the Doctor repeated. There was amusement in his voice now. "Interesting change."

"Yeah, but that way they can call me in during a crisis to help." Rose watched as the Doctor fit several of the small pieces together and sealed them in a strange looking black tube. "So what are you building? Something to do with my sword?"

"The properties of your sword disrupt the neverweres," the Doctor said. He was excited and glanced at her bracelet again. "I'm not sure what exactly and there isn't time for me to study it fully I'm afraid, but if I can channel that energy outward then we could disrupt the neverweres and get close to the rip again.

"So my sword will go into that thing," Rose said slowly. She eyed the black tube that the Doctor was working on.

"It won't harm you," the Doctor assured her. He looked over at her with softer eyes. "I assure you that-"

"I'm worried about the sword, Doctor," Rose told him. She gave him a smile. "I know you'd never hurt me." Another blended expression overtook the Doctor's face. Surprise, resignation, touched and a bit of a blush. Rose decided to spare him and just gave him a little smile. Taking a deep breath, she leaned forward and examined the device. "Okay then, talk me through what I need to do."

…..

Leaving the safety of the TARDIS and heading out to join the neverweres wasn't high on Rose's priority list. The small side street was completely deserted and the sounds of life in Mumbai seemed far away. More than that the colours were dull like the world was shifting to grey. Frowning, Rose stepped forward and called forth her sword. The golden bracelet shifted in a moment as it dissolved into a soft rush of glittering golden specks and reformed in her hand into a new shape. Normally the sight of the slightly curved blade that moulded perfectly into her palm was comforting, but Rose found herself worried. As much as she trusted the Doctor in any incarnation she knew that his plans sometimes went wrong.

There was a chill in the air and Rose glanced nervously towards the darker corners of the street. It was midday at the latest, but the sun seemed dimmer and the world darker. Rose hoped that the locals hadn't noticed. Given more recent events the last thing she wanted to deal with was a panic. Her footfalls echoed ominously and Rose felt afraid for what might jump out at her.

The door of the TARDIS opened with a soft creak and the Doctor stepped out. He was silent and as he stepped up next to Rose she saw his eyes trace the streets. Whatever was wrong he felt it too and unlike her probably knew the full and proper name of it all. Rose knelt down and set the black tube on the ground. She eyed the small opening nervously.

"Just put the sword inside when the neverweres get close," the Doctor reminded her.

"Yeah I know," Rose said. "Do you think that they'll-"

Rose cut off the question as the chill from before swept through the street. She eyes jumped to one of the side streets as black shapes came rushing towards them. They fell over each other in a racket of disoriented, but angry creatures. Rose tensed and brought her sword up, but they didn't slow. They were at the mouth of the street now and crashes to their right made Rose turn sharply. More were trying to flank them. Their flesh shimmered, the same odd colours as the Time Vortex, but there was no soothing song this time, only a mess of chattering and scratching sounds.

"Rose!" the Doctor shouted.

She moved. Rose thrust the sword down into the tube, bracing herself for claws or the cold to swallow her whole. The blade somehow didn't slice apart the machine. Instead, it felt like it locked into place. A high pitched hum filled the street and her sword began to glow. Bright golden light made Rose slam her eyes shut. Heat beneath her fingertips threatened to burn her, but she held on. Someone grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away.

Her fingers slipped off the sword and the hum became overpowering. Squeals echoed around her and the chill was already receding. Rose forced open her eyes and looked back towards her sword. The hilt was glowing white hot and the hum was getting worse. Dark shapes were drawing back from the sword. The hands tightened around her shoulder and drew her back protectively, forcing her to release the sword. It didn't automatically return to her wrist.

"Shut your eyes!"

Rose obeyed the Doctor's order and slammed her eyes shut again. A wave of heat washed over the area, but there was no sound. In fact, everything went silent. Then the heat vanished and there was the sound of sputtering and sparks. Rose slowly opened her eyes. The neverweres were gone and a smoking black tube stood a few feet away with a cracking metal sword sticking out of it.

"Doctor." Rose groaned as she looked at her poor sword. "I love you, but if you've broken my sword then I'm going to be very irritated with you." Dropping down, she reached out to touch the cracked blade. Then the whole sword shimmered and returned to bracelet form. Rose called it back and sighed in relief when the sword formed once more, completely whole. "Okay Doctor, you're safe."

She turned and smiled at him only to freeze. There was a look of shock and near panic on his face. His posture was tense and his feet shifted a tiny bit. Rose recognised it all. He was fighting back the urge to run. For a moment she was confused before going over what she'd just said. Then she could have hit herself.

"Sorry," Rose apologised softly. She hated to say it, but she did sort of mean it. "Complicated timelines," she added. Climbing to her feet, she dusted herself off and allowed her golden sword to return to bracelet form as she avoided looking at the Doctor.

She loved the daft mad Time Lord. Rose was a big girl and could admit that. Timelines might be confusing, but even her little human mind could wrap itself around the reality that once you loved a Time Lord you loved a Time Lord. Points in time, differences in experiences and honestly the trouble with tenses didn't really matter anymore.

Holding back a sigh, Rose reached up and pulled her hair back into a messy bun. The cold was receding and the natural humid heat of India was quickly returning. Behind her, the Doctor cleared his throat and Rose turned to find him looking at her uneasily. They just looked at each other for a moment and Rose almost laughed as she envisioned taking this incarnation home to meet her mother. His Ninth body would be bad enough when the time came and her mum sorted out that they were an item. This body looked even older than that form.

"What next?" Rose asked as she pushed away her amusement. It had helped to dispel the stress trying to build up behind her eyes, but now it was back to business.

"The Silver Lord," the Doctor said. The unease in his expression vanished and his eyes moved to look down another small alley. "His foot soldiers have been dealt with. Time to deal with their master."

The Doctor turned back to the TARDIS and Rose grinned, all but rushing after him. As he opened the TARDIS with one hand, the Doctor's free hand brushed against hers. But he didn't move it away. In fact, he twined their fingers for a moment and squeezed her hand. It was a silent communication that Rose knew how to read. There was gratitude for her understanding and for not pushing at thing. And maybe, but maybe a little bit of affection. Then again, Rose said herself, she was pretty awesome and he could do a lot worse than her. Probably had in the past.


	52. Champion of Time: Echoes of the Future

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-Two: Champion of Time: Echoes of the Future

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

Rose wanted to feel a sense of victory as the TARDIS dematerialized and they headed for the rip again. They'd just taken out a large swarm of neverweres, but Rose's mind was fixed on the Silver Lord. She leaned over the console controls, pressing buttons as the Doctor told her to. He was watching her and it was all Rose could do not to look at him.

The TARDIS settled with a soft hum, so very different than the future heavy thump that she'd come to know. Her fingers brushed gently over the controls. One more sad result of the Time War. With luck, she'd heal in time.

"What's the plan?" Rose asked, turning to face the Doctor.

His eyes were on her hand as she caressed the TARDIS. Realising what she was doing, Rose pulled her hand away as if she'd been burned. She was fully aware of a blush creeping over her face as the Doctor looked torn between amusement, shock and unease. If they hadn't been up against the Silver Lord Rose might have been tempted to tease him a bit more, but this wasn't the time for flirting. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

"The temporal manipulator should be ready now," the Doctor replied.

"What if the Silver Lord took it while the neverweres were after us?" Rose questioned.

"It is made from a special alloy," the Doctor explained. He headed for the TARDIS doors. "Repeals Eternals and with luck his Chronovore side won't let him overcome it."

They stepped outside and listened. The street was unnaturally quiet with a sharp chill lingering in the air. Rose shivered slightly and looked at the Doctor. He was watching the street carefully but then took a step away from the TARDIS. A sound echoed down the street and Rose followed him, summoning her sword.

The Doctor fell into step with her. They exchanged a look, both reassuring and worrying at the same time. They moved forward and the Doctor gestured to the right turn up ahead with his umbrella. Down the small alleyway, Rose could see the device the Doctor had put out early. It didn't' look damaged. The problem was that blue and red light was spilling into the street from a gaping open hole.

"That's not good," Rose said. "Even I know that isn't good."

"The Vortex is spilling out too much energy. We need to close it now!"

A man leapt out of the shadows. At least Rose thought he was a man at first, but then his eyes caught the light and silver was reflected back to her. The man was tall and thin with dark hair and wearing local style clothing. His gaze jumped between her and the Doctor.

"It's the Silver Lord," Rose said quickly.

Then the man shifted, pulling something off his back. It was a sheath From it he pulled a long silver blade that shimmered with soft red and blue light. He took a step towards the Doctor and Rose shifted to stand between them. Snarling, the Silver Lord's eyes flashed and he swung the blade towards her. Rose jumped back and heard the Doctor shout something.

"I'm fine!" Rose shouted. "Close it!"

The Doctor hesitated, she could see his unease in the corner of her eye, but then he turned and ran for the device. Lashing forward, the Silver Lord slammed the heavy sword down. Rose brought her own blade up to block, her knees buckling as the swords collided. Silver and golden sparks fell around them and Rose could feel the strange chill of the temporal rip working its way up her spine. The Silver Lord glared her with glowing silver eyes, all pretence discarded. He twisted his hands and freed his sword, moving at a superhuman pace. Rose jumped back but felt a sharp rush of pain and ice as the sword caught her left arm. Dizziness hit her and her stomach turned, but she didn't dare inspect the wound.

Rose lashed her own blade forward, catching the Silver Lord's hilt and shoving it to the side. His whole arm moved to follow it. With a grunt he shoved his whole body at Rose, catching her shoulder and trying to free his sword. While his body was stronger, Rose had the better position and kept his sword locked away from her.

A high pitched electric sound echoed around Rose followed by the smell of ozone. A strange choking sound escaped the Silver Lord. His eyes flashed and the red and blue glow of the vortex intensified. Rose's ears filled with the smooth song of Time and she tensed as the energy washed over her. Jumping back, she let her sword retract just long enough to untangle the two blades before summoning it again. But then the silver sword dropped harmlessly from the Silver Lord's hand.

There was no body now, the man fell to the ground. A cloud of energy in the rough form of a bird of some kind appeared in front of her. It screamed, a terrible high pitched sound that cut through Rose's mind. Hands flew to her head and Rose groaned at a sudden rush of pressure. In the corner of her eye, she saw the Doctor adjusting some sort of control in his hands. He kicked the black box device across the ground and it slid right next to the Silver Lord. The hum became louder and the pressure in her head was suddenly gone.

A shimmering form of energy filled the air in front of Rose. There were ripples of many colours, but the dominant colour was silver. Rose could almost feel it glaring at her even as it struggled against the pressure. Taking a step back, Rose couldn't help but smile as the shimmering field around the Silver Lord tightened. The dying light of the day caught the field and made it glint. An orb became visible and just kept shrinking smaller and smaller. Then it turned a solid silver colour and stopped at the size of a snow globe.

The silver orb rattled and spun on the surface of the ground. Around her, the cold of the Vortex was fading and the strange glow was receding. She was aware of the Doctor closing up the rip, but couldn't bring herself to take her eyes off the Silver Lord. The orb rattled again, striking a slightly elevated stone with a sharp strange sound. For a moment Rose feared that the Silver Lord might make it fall over and escape. The Doctor stepped past her and tapped the orb firmly with the edge of his umbrella and the movement stopped. Sighing in relief, Rose grinned at the sight.

"Well that's him captured then," she said. Rose took a shaky step closer, her jaw slightly slack. "Wow… I mean." A weak almost hysterical giggle escaped her. "Wow, I can't-"

"Rose?" The Doctor called carefully. He caught her arm gently, holding up her as her legs threatened to give out. Rose looked at him and found herself looking into worried blue eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Rose forced out. "It's just… I'm relieved." She forced a little smile. "It'll be easier knowing that he can't hurt me or anyone else again."

"What did he do to you?" the Doctor asked. His eyes had darkened now and Rose tensed at the sight of the growing storm in his eyes. But she forced a sad smile.

"I'll tell you the whole story someday Doctor, but not today."

The Doctor adjusted her arm once more, taking on more of Rose's weight. "As you say, Rose," he replied gently.

Smiling for real now, Rose felt another blush trying to take over. She was so grateful that there was no younger Ace here to tease her. Another giggle escaped her and Rose let her sword return to bracelet form. "Now all I need to do is deal with the Trickster and Eclipse once and for all and I'll be golden."

"The Trickster," the Doctor repeated. "You have an interesting life, Rose Tyler."

"Can't let you have all the fun, Doctor."

"I suppose that would explain part of the attraction," the Doctor said. There was a slight blush on his cheeks again, but he met Rose's teasing gaze evenly. Holding back a grin, Rose stepped around the orb and knelt down. Her fingers went the pulse of the man and a sigh of relief escaped her. "His pulse is strong," she told the Doctor. "I think he'll be alright." She pulled out her phone and stood up again. "Let me call an ambulance."

Rose was aware of the Doctor watching her as she quickly reported an unconscious man. She had to quickly ask him just where they were, her own sense of direction badly scrambled. Slipping her phone into her jeans pocket, Rose finally allowed her shoulders to relax and she looked around. Everything looked normal.

"Is that it then?" Rose questioned. "Rip closed?"

"Yes it is quite safe now," the Doctor answered. He nodded in satisfaction then looked back at her. He was about to say something else when a white and black flash of light filled the street.

Blinking, Rose summoned her sword and shifted in front of the Doctor, but was unsurprised to find the White and Black Guardians both standing there. They were in their suits and glowering down at the silver orb. She released the sword and allowed it to return to bracelet form. Rose inched forward as the dropped silver sword flashed in the low light. Something about it set her on edge, but she carefully knelt down and picked it up.

The Black Guardian shifted closer, examining the sword over her shoulder. He reached towards it and Rose saw the Doctor move in the corner of her eye. Before she was aware of what she doing, she slapped the Black Guardian's hand away. His and the Doctor's eyes widened in surprise, but the Black Guardian merely stepped back next to the smiling White Guardian. White gave him a warning look and Black's frown deepened. Rose almost laughed at the silent exchange while the Doctor looked between the pair with poorly concealed interest and surprise.

"Thank you for assisting Miss Tyler, Doctor," the White Guardian said politely. He tipped his hat a little as the Black Guardian reached down and picked up the silver orb.

"We'll deal with him," the Black Guardian said. His voice echoed ominously in the street.

"Are you going to imprison him again?" Rose questioned.

"He escaped the Void once before," the Black Guardian replied. "We won't be taking chances this time."

"His original exile was due to his nature being a threat," the White Guardian told her kindly. "It was an act of mercy not to harm him for something he had no control over. However, he has now proven that he will lash out if free."

"And you two are working together?" the Doctor asked. Rose looked at him and he was eyeing them both suspiciously. "Odd."

"Some threats require us putting aside our differences," the White Guardian said. The Black Guardian was glaring viciously at the Doctor. "We are both Guardians of the Universe."

"Yes," the Doctor agreed slowly. His tone suggested that he wasn't happy with their explanation. "Very well, but keep that creature contained. He managed to summon forth an army of neverweres."

"We are aware Doctor," the White Guardian said. He stepped closer to Rose and held out his hands. "If I may take the sword, Miss Tyler, it is not safe anywhere near you."

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"A blade he crafted to destroy you. It has the power to dissolve parts of timelines. Similar to the chronosteel items it could be used to alter even fixed points," the White Guardian admitted. Behind Rose, the Doctor made a sound of alarm. "I need to destroy it."

Rose was too tired to argue and carefully handed the blade over. The White Guardian's hands glowed for a moment and the sword dissolved into silver dust. Her eyes jumped over to the Black Guardian who had an unreadable expression on his face. Holding back a sigh, Rose reminded her that while the Black Guardian may be on her side right now he still liked chaos. It was after all his domain.

"Now Doctor, may I suggest that you tend to Miss Tyler," the White Guardian said. He clapped his hands together sending tiny sparks of silver dust into the air. "Do be sure to erase these memories, you aren't supposed to know her yet."

"What is your interest in the girl?" the Doctor demanded. He shifted slightly in front of her, placing himself between her and the Guardians. Rose almost rolled her eyes but caught the White Guardian smiling.

"Merely to guide and protect her," the White Guardian promised with a disarming smile.

"Though we failed to protect her from you," the Black Guardian huffed, almost pouting in his displeasure. Then he looked thoughtfully at Rose and then at the White Guardian. "I could still-"

"You know the rules Black," the White Guardian remarked. His smile was larger now. "Leave the Doctor be. You had your chances."

The Black Guardian scowled but vanished with the silver orb. Shaking his head, the White Guardian looked back at the Doctor. "Fear not Doctor, it will all be clear one day." He nodded at Rose and gave her a small warm, almost grandfatherly smile. "Good luck with the rest of your year, Miss Tyler."

"Thanks," Rose replied automatically.

"And don't forget Doctor, you mustn't remember this," the White Guardian said once more.

"Yes yes the timelines," the Doctor replied impatiently. "You're a bit more worried than usual." He was leaning on his umbrella and looking between Rose and the Guardian thoughtfully.

"You'll meet her properly when you need to," the White Guardian assured him. "You don't need her yet." There was a finality to the words that rang in the alley.

There was a flash of something like dread and understanding in the Doctor's eyes that Rose hated. Then the Doctor sighed softly and shook his head a little. He slipped the device into his pocket and then looked at Rose, his eyes instantly narrowing on the injury. Gently he took her arm and guided Rose back to the TARDIS.

The TARDIS medical bay was largely unchanged from how Rose knew it. Rather than the coral colour she knew, the walls were sterile white with roundels lining the top section of the wall. While she didn't know what the various machines did yet, Rose recognised many of them. The Doctor kept a tight grip on her uninjured arm and lowered her down into a chair. Then his shifted her arm and inspected the wound. Rose finally looked down at it herself. It looked like a regular wound, but there was a faint silver hue to the skin around it. Relief that the Silver Lord hadn't managed a worse hit filled Rose. It was the first time she'd ever seen the Silver Lord use a sword and she had no doubt it had been for something ugly.

"Odd," the Doctor murmured. "The wound-" He cut himself off and shook his head, bringing the small dermal regenerator up to her arm. "Hold still."

Rose did as he said, familiar with the dermal regenerator. Soon enough the skin of her arm knit back together leaving a thin patch of slightly paler skin, but no scare. Rose let out the breath she was holding. It felt fine, nothing too bad had happened from the sword thankfully, but she had to wonder what it would have done if he'd managed a fatal blow.

"I guess that's my cue to go," Rose said softly. "Before we mess the timeline up."

"I'll see you out," the Doctor said.

To her surprise he extended his hand. Rose took it gratefully, smiling to herself as their fingers settled comfortably against each other. They were still for a moment and the Doctor looked down in surprise. Then he led her out of the medical bay and down the corridors of the TARDIS. It was familiar and yet different all at once, a bit like him. Her heart sank a bit as they stepped back into the console room. She had to say farewell to him yet again but stayed silent as the Doctor opened the door for her. Then he released her hand as she stepped out.

"Well," the Doctor finally said. "You are certainly interesting, Rose Tyler."

"Not so bad yourself Doctor." Rose resisted the urge to hug him or worse kiss him. "Thank you."

"I'm not entirely certain just what must have been going through my successor's mind when he chose to tie us to you, but I suspect it will be very interesting to find out."

"Well we aren't actually married yet," Rose informed him with a chuckle. On an impulse, she held up her ring and let the alien stone catch the light. "Just engaged at my point in our timelines. I'm afraid that even once I start travelling with you things are a bit complicated."

"You seem to like that word."

"It does the trick," Rose replied with another small smile before she turned serious. "Thank you though Doctor. I know crossing your own timeline is uncomfortable for you. I know that you don't like altering your own memories, but I'm grateful you were here. No matter what incarnation you're in, I always feel better with you nearby."

"Earlier you said…" the Doctor trailed off. The soft blush was back and Rose barely kept herself from grinning.

"That I love you," Rose said. She felt her own face flush a bit. "Yeah, I did. It slipped out."

"Do you then?" the Doctor asked. His voice was stronger now and he was looking at her curiously. Rose wasn't sure where the question was coming from or why he looked like he desperately needed to know. Maybe someday she'd find out.

"Yes, I do love you, have for years and will for the rest of my life." The words were solemn and settled in the air around them. "I wish…" She shook her head. "Like the White Guardian said: you'll meet me properly when you need me."

Then to her surprise, as a soft sigh escaped the Doctor, he took her right hand and brought it up to his lips. He pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles before releasing her hand and giving her one last searching look. Unable to resist, Rose leaned forward and pressed a soft chaste kiss to his lips. They stared at each other a moment longer before Rose forced herself to step back.

"Until next time Doctor," she said.

"Farewell, for now, Rose Tyler," the Doctor replied. He offered her a slight smile. "I suspect that while I won't remember this, something will remain. I look forward to meeting you properly."

The words made Rose grin and the Doctor's smile widened. Then the TARDIS door closed and Rose exhaled slowly as the TARDIS dematerialized, leaving her standing alone in the backstreets of Mumbai. After a few moments, the warmth of the India weather and the smells and sounds of the city now restored to normal washed over her.

…Next Time…

The tall blue police box began to fade into view while Rose beamed in relief. A moment later it settled into place and Rose dashed forward for the door. She was reaching for the key around her neck when the doors swung open to allow her entry.

There was a man standing a short ways from the doors waiting for her. He was familiar to her, though Rose couldn't recall ever seeing his face before. They locked eyes, her brown eyes meeting his cool blue ones and she almost shuddered under the immense age contained in them. Yet beneath that was a warmth that was unmistakable and Rose felt a smile tugging at her lips as the certainty of who he was settled into her bones.

"Rose Tyler," he greeted in a soft rolling Scottish accent.

"Hello, Doctor."


	53. Return of Fenric: New Doctor

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-Three: Return of Fenric: New Doctor

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: You've been waiting for him and he is finally here! Please welcome the Twelfth Doctor to the Guardians of the Universe series! Remember the Doctor has a different personal history with a lot less loss and has a family with Rose so there are going to be some personality and attitude differences. This episode is a sequel to the Seventh Doctor era classic episode The Curse of Fenric. It's a good one and I do recommend checking it out though I'll explain the bits you need to know.

….

Rose Marion Tyler was feeling the pressure of her final year finally catching up with her. Sure she'd managed to stay on top of her projects and papers without the lovely distraction of a Time Lord popping up to take her on dates, but Rose still felt a bit overloaded. There was a tension in the air around her. Time was slipping away until she'd finally be travelling in the TARDIS. Rose was ready for the next chapter of her life and finally moving towards having a more straightforward timeline which was a humorous thing to think given she was going to be travelling in time.

Still, there were lingering worries about travelling the Ninth Doctor. She knew so much about his-their future. And she wasn't exactly his typical companion. They were all different in their own ways, but Rose knew she was a break from the usual mould. Not to mention a big departure from the usual relationship. A groan escaped her and laid her head down on her desk.

"This is rubbish!"

It wasn't just school weighing on her or travelling with the Doctor. There was her Mum's new man to consider and Jackie actually wanted her to meet this one. It had been years since Rose had bothered with any of her mother's boyfriends. Rita-Anne's concerns hadn't been forgotten, but Rose wasn't sure what to make of all of it.

The ringing of her mobile made Rose groan, but she recognised the ring tone as one of the Companion Club and reached to grab it. She made a mental note to get separate ring tones for the different companions; talking to Ace was much more fun than say, Victoria. Or Jo subtly trying to learn more about her relationship with the Doctor. She was sweet but also had to know everything.

"Hello."

"Rose?" a strained voice greeted on the other end of the phone.

It took Rose a moment to recognise it. "Ace is that you?" She straightened up in alarm at the strange tone in her friend's voice.

"Rose I need your help. Come to New York. Please hurry!"

"Ace what's wrong?" Rose asked. "Are you sick? You don't sound good?"

"It's the wolf," Ace groaned, sounding in pain. "The wolf is back! It's in my head, in my bones! Rose, please…. Help me!"

"Wolf?" Rose repeated. Confusion over what had gone wrong with the message crashed her before a memory of Ace's own past hit her. "You mean Fenric?"

"Call the Doctor," Ace pleaded. "Please… hurry! Come to New York."

"Ace tell me exactly what is happening," Rose said.

"I… I can't. Please come to New York." The line went dead.

Rose forced herself to exhale the breath she'd been holding. Already she was thinking about everything she needed to do to get to Ace. Her friend was in New York and sounded desperate. Ace had never liked talking about Fenric and she knew next to nothing about the defeated figure. Except maybe it wasn't so defeated after all. She looked back at the phone and was shifting her thumb when a familiar grinding noise began to echo in the flat.

Rose grinned and jumped up from the sofa. Out of habit she grabbed a couple of textbooks to keep the papers on her desk from scattering and shifted back from the TARDIS' usual spot. The tall blue police box began to fade into view while Rose beamed in relief. A moment later it settled into place and Rose dashed forward for the door. She was reaching for the key around her neck when the doors swung open to allow her entry.

There was a man standing a short ways from the doors waiting for her. He was familiar to her, though Rose couldn't recall ever seeing his face before. They locked eyes, her brown eyes meeting his cool blue ones and she almost shivered under the immense age contained in them. Yet beneath that was a warmth that was unmistakable and Rose felt a smile tugging at her lips as the certainty of who he was settled into her bones.

"Rose Tyler," he greeted in a soft rolling Scottish accent.

"Hello, Doctor."

She stared up at him as he moved forward a few steps. He was about the same height as her other doctors with curly silver hair. His features were older and a bit gruffer with thick eyebrows casting a shadow over his eyes. She had a feeling that he expressed a lot with those eyebrows. Rose took in his outfit, noting that it was very normal for him. Dark navy colours, a bit of red and sturdy boots. Nothing too strange this time around, but rather dashing or maybe that was just her. She did have a bit of a weakness when it came to him no matter what he looked like and wore.

Lifting her eyes, Rose looked around the TARDIS and let out a soft breath. The old girl had changed again. Her console room was much larger with the central controls still firmly in the middle with golden light spilling forth from it. Shelves of books lined the walls with a pair of armchairs set up with a side table. Rather than metal, the room appeared to be made of dark rich wood. Rose wasn't sure if it was real or not, but the effect made everything seem like an old grand library. Above the shelves on the upper level were the roundels all glowing softly between blackboards covered with equations and hung paintings. It was beautiful and different, but also familiar. Lived in was the word that came to Rose's mind and she had a feeling that the TARDIS had been this way for some time.

"She's beautiful as always." Rose smiled at the Doctor, releasing the breath she'd been holding. "Bit different, though."

"The old girl enjoys changing from time to time," the Doctor said. He smiled gently and looked around. "Rather fond of the current desktop myself and you love it."

"Scottish again." Rose chuckled softly and studied his deep knowing eyes and shifted closer. "And blue eyes too. You seem to favour blue eyes when you do northern accents Doctor." Without waiting for permission, Rose reached up and cupped the Doctor's cheek as she examined the new face.

His expression brightened with his thick eyebrow raising up a little. "Hadn't considered that," he admitted with a chuckle. "But I suppose my seventh body is pretty fresh in your memory."

"Wait-" Rose gasped softly. "Do you… remember?"

"Buried the memory rather than erasing it," he said, the words rolling pleasantly. "Not fond of forgetting any time I spend with you. Don't worry he blocked the memories just like he was supposed to." The Doctor gave her a fond smile. "He really wasn't sure about all of that, couldn't imagine getting married. Can't believe you still were fond of me like that."

"You're the Doctor," Rose said firmly. She gave him a warm smile even as something tugged at her memory. "I can't believe you worry so much about it." She shook her head a little. "I love you, no matter what you look like. You're my Doctor."

He brought a hand up and cradled the side of her head with an affectation smile. It wasn't the manic grin of his prior bodies, more sedate, but no less real. Then he pulled his hand away from her cheek and took the hand she'd had against his own face. Turning her hand, he kissed the back of it gently as he watched her.

"Rose Tyler," he murmured. "Love of my lives."

Rose couldn't help it, she grinned him like a loon before shifting forward to press her lips against his. He seemed to have anticipated the action as he tilted his own face at the long moment and released her hand. The kiss was so very soft and his hand came around her waist to rest at the small of her back. It wasn't the near frantic holding of her that she knew from his Tenth and Eleventh bodies, but a comforting gesture of closeness. When the kiss ended, he shifted slightly and gently kissed her forehead while Rose hummed happily. She'd really missed him, any him.

They were silent for a moment, but then the memory of Ace's call reasserted itself and she looked up at the Doctor. He, however, was already reaching for a lever on the TARDIS controls. He released her and turned an unfamiliar knob. Relief that at least he was on top of things hit Rose and she grabbed the edge of the console as they took off. The flight only took a few moments.

"How bad is it?" Rose asked. "Is Ace safe?"

"Bad," the Doctor replied. He twisted an unfamiliar knob. "How much as Ace told you about Fenric?"

"Next to nothing," Rose admitted. "She doesn't like to talk about it."

"Long story short Fenric is one of two forces, one good, one evil, which were present at the start of time in this universe." The Doctor didn't look at her as he flipped several levers and turned another knob. "They were caught in this universe as it formed with Fenric surviving and the good force being dispersed through the universe. Many of the great old forces of the universe agree that Fenric is too dangerous to be allowed freedom. I trapped him centuries ago, but he had imprinted several bloodlines with a spark of his power."

"The wolves of Fenric," Rose said softly.

"Yes, that's what he called them. He manipulated several events in Ace's life in order to use her against me." The Doctor's movement sagged for a moment and his eyes darkened. "At the time he was defeated when a creature under his control turned on him and destroyed his host body."

"But he's reforming in Ace."

"Yes," the Doctor said simply. His grip on a lever tightly and the TARDIS shuddered. "She's still connected to Fenric. Even after all these years. Fenric needs a host to fully manifest but has a lot of power. He can even affect time. He was the one who created the Time Storm that sent Ace to Iceworld where I met her."

Rose wanted to ask more questions. She was distressed by how the Doctor had swung from happy to see her to so tense, but her own worry for Ace was creeping over her. Her eyes jumped back to the Doctor only to find him looking at a spot on her left upper arm. Rose frowned and lowered her eyes to the spot. It was exposed thanks to her t-shirt, but there was nothing special about it.

"Why me?" Rose asked. Raising her eyes back to the Doctor she saw him tense again. "Why did you come to get me?"

"Ace called you," he replied gruffly. "And it had to be me." He looked at her quickly and Rose saw something flash in his eyes, maybe worry, guilt or irritation. With this new face, she couldn't be sure. "Trust me, Darling?"

"Always," Rose said softly. She meant the word, but that didn't stop the worry.

The TARDIS shuddered as they landed. The Doctor flipped another switch and touched something on the console screen. It beeped softly and he strode towards the door. When he reached it, the Doctor turned on his heel and he looked at her. His eyes softened and he extended his hand. Rose managed a slight smile and accepted his hand, letting him pull her towards the door. Their fingers twined together easily in that different, but still a perfect fit. It reassured Rose.

They stepped out of the TARDIS into a familiar yet utterly alien flat. Ace's normally bright if messy flat in New York was dark and the blinds in the windows were closed. The air was thick with the tang of alcohol and the musk of sweat. Rose was completely still, trying to take it in and ensure there was nothing coming up on them. However, the Doctor tugged slightly impatiently on her hand, guiding her towards the main room. Summoning her sword, Rose took comfort in the familiar weight and stepped away from the TARDIS, taking care to close the door behind them.

As they approached the living room Rose could hear the soft sound of weeping and a low voice talking. The Doctor caught her arm and pushed her back. Rose opened her mouth to protest, but as the light in Ace's kitchen flickered she caught sight of the Doctor's dark eyes and the tightness of his jaw. She fell silent and fell into step one pace behind him. The sobs of crying became mixed with laughter. There were unfamiliar bits of words and rambling sentences that sounded like something out of a storybook.

In the low light of the flickering lights, Rose could make out Ace on the sofa. The coffee table in front of her had empty bottles of alcohol and a cell phone. Papers were random words along with the name Fenric were scattered across the table and floor. Ace was shaking and rocking, muttering to herself.

"Oh Ace," the Doctor whispered. He started to take a step forward, but then Ace moved. "Ace?"

"The Time Lord returns for the pawn," a deeper version of Ace's voice said. Then she slowly raised her head to look at them. Instead of Ace's warm brown eyes, softly glowing eyes with an unnatural green tint were staring at them. Her lips twisted into a smirk. "There is no game this time Doctor. No Ancient One to betray me and you won't risk the girl."

"Hello Fenric," the Doctor greeted. He sounded completely calm. "So you've managed to reform."

"One spark… that's all I needed," Fenric said.

"Pity, I was so hoping I'd seen the last of you," the Doctor spat.

Fenric rose from Ace's sofa. Her long brown hair was in a messy braid with strands stuck to her face by sweat. Red tear tracks down her face and her eyes looked over at Rose, but then seemed to dismiss her and returned to the Doctor.

"There will be no Ancient One to save you this time Doctor. You or your companions."

Fenric raised their hands and a faint greenish glow surrounded Ace's hand. Outside the windows of the flat thunder became to rumble. There were flashes of lightning that illuminated the sky and the flat. A sense of wrongness hit Rose right in the gut, almost exactly like it had in India. She could feel a chill trying to seep into her spine and hissed. The Doctor didn't move and kept staring down Fenric.

"Another Time Storm Fenric? That didn't get you what you wanted last time?"

"This time the rules have changed Doctor," Fenric declared.

A crash of thunder shook the whole flat. Screams from above their head echoed down and the window began to crack. Fenric laughed, a deep rumble blending with Ace's familiar laugh.

"Let loose the wolves of Fenric! They will tear apart Time! This and all worlds shall fall!"

The window shattered, sending glass flying into the room while Fenric laughed. The being flipped Ace's hair which was blowing in the howling wind. A scrap had been sliced in Ace's face from the glass and was beginning to bleed. Fenric grinned darkly at the Doctor and took several slow steps back. The Doctor's eyes widened and he began to lunge for Ace, but Fenric leapt out of the window leaving them behind on the twentieth floor of the building.


	54. Return of Fenric: Time Storms

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-Four: Return of Fenric: Time Storms

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

"Ace!" Rose screamed, the sound being lost in the howling wind.

"She's not dead," the Doctor said. He grabbed her arm as she instinctively moved towards the window. "Fenric has immense power over his host's body. He can heal injuries and prevent them."

"Yeah?" Rose looked up at him fearfully. "What's the catch?"

"He's not even trying to conserve power now. Too much of this and he'll suppress Ace to death. Destroy her mind and all her memories."

Horror hit Rose first, but determination to stop it was right on its heels. She looked back to the window only to gasp as a green glow gathered in the clouds. There were flashes of purple lightning as whatever Fenric had done overtook even in the natural forces. Rose looked up at the Doctor, looking for information or reassurance, but he was glaring at the empty window.

"Doctor!"

Something in her tone made him look back at her. His eyebrows went up a bit and he seemed mildly confused. But he recovered quickly and gestured back to the TARDIS. "We need to stop the Time Storms and Fenric."

They rushed back into the TARDIS and he began adjusting the controls. He frowned darkly at the screen and pressed a series of buttons. The TARDIS shuddered and Rose gripped the edge of the console. They shook badly as the TARDIS moved and the Doctor's eyes bored into the console screen. Rose peeked over, but she didn't understand the strange readings. Then the TARDIS stopped shaking.

Turning around, Rose looked towards the door. In the small windows above the door, she could see flashes of green and purple. The Doctor marched past her and pulled open the doors. Rose followed him outside quickly only to be hit with the same icy sensations she'd felt in India.

"I need to get up there," the Doctor muttered.

Rose followed his gaze up and gasped softly. Massive twisting storms like tornados, but illuminated with green and purple were still spinning above them. The Doctor pulled out the sonic screwdriver and Rose did a double take. It was different than those she was familiar with. The end was blue again, but rather than the small diode it was a longer crystal shape that threw her off. It whirled for a moment and the Doctor's frown somehow deepened. A crash shook the ground and Rose looked to the side. One of the time storms had touched down and was ripping apart the trees.

"Rose I have to take the TARDIS up. I can't get stable readings down here," the Doctor said turning back to her.

Nodding, Rose shifted to head back into the TARDIS. The Doctor stepped in front of her and caught her shoulders. "No," the Doctor said sharply. "It's not safe for you."

"And being down here amongst Fenric's hordes is?"

A look of near panic overtook his face and Rose regretted her own words. "They'll be a spillover of radiation, even in the TARDIS," the Doctor explained. His voice was a little more controlled now, but there was worry in his eyes. "I have to get a lock on the Time Storms."

"Can you close them all yourself?"

"I don't have to," the Doctor replied. There was a slight smile tugging at his lips. He squeezed her hand but pulled it away. "Be careful Darling." There was clear hesitation on his face. "But I can't take you into the middle of Time Storms." He looked around and his eyes fixed on a distant spot. Rose frowned, he seemed to be arguing with himself. "It will be alright. Just don't wander… oh, what's the point?"

Rose still wanted to argue, the intellectual part of her was screaming that this was a bad idea, but something else was saying it was okay. Obeying the instinct, Rose nodded to the Doctor. Relief flashed in his eyes, he leaned forward and kissed her lips quickly before vanishing into the TARDIS. The blue box glowed a soft blue and Rose took a few steps back. Frowning at the spot the TARDIS had been, Rose tried to understand what was happening. The Doctor had brought her here from the flat but now dropped her near a bunch of Time Storms. Releasing a huff of irritation, Rose looked around and tried to take in what was happening at ground level.

Central Park after dark wasn't really all that scary with frequent lamps casting a soft glow across the trails. At least in theory, but the lights were beginning to flicker and Rose could see cracks forming in them. The air wiped around her, sending her hair into her face. With a huff of frustration tinged with fear, Rose reached up and tied her hair in a rough knot.

Winds were howling and the small tornados were touching down, ripping at the trees. Rose brought a hand up to protect her eyes only to gasp as more figures began to emerge from the storms. Some were humanoid while others were alarmingly different from her. One had numerous tentacles and floated in the air all while its eyes glowed a dull green. There were men dressed in old style armour, others in unfamiliar, but futuristic suits and creatures that were straight out of Lovecraftian literature.

Summoning her sword, Rose began to count them. She was outnumbered and at a loss of what to do. The Doctor hadn't really explained enough for her to know if these were willing allies of Fenric or just pawns under some sort of control. Rose shifted on her feet into a defensive stance, still unsure what the Doctor was doing. She trusted him, but something in his eyes, something that made him look torn between leaving her here and taking her with him. Rose wasn't sure she trusted his story about the Time Storms or she was tempted to believe that they'd hurt normal humans, but not her. Still, she knew that something was supposed to happen. She could feel it from the way he'd looked at her. He had some inkling of what was going to happen.

A branch almost hit her and Rose's eyes surveyed the area with worry. She firmly told herself to focus and stop worrying about the Doctor. The summoned beings were spreading out and Rose had no idea how long it would be before UNIT responded. A familiar grinding noise filled the air and something began to materialise a few feet ahead of her. Rose raced for it, only stopped when she noticed that the tall large item looked more like some sort of space car, but then it flickered and took on the blue box shape.

Something hit her arm and made Rose flinch as the wind picked up even more. Overhead the green clouds were spitting down bolts of purple and bright green lightning. In the distance, she thought she could see Ace or rather Fenric standing amongst it all. She looked over her shoulder, there was no sign of the Doctor still.

The door of the mystery TARDIS opened and on instinct Rose moved towards it. Her mind was racing, wondering if this was Alistair's TARDIS since it took the police box shape. She dashed inside only to stop in her tracks. It was definitely the wrong TARDIS. Unlike her Doctor's this one had dark metal walls full of rondels and a more compact central console. There was a figure behind the central column and Rose waited as the doors closed behind her with a soft humming sound.

Then they came around the column and Rose relaxed. It was Athena, a little older with a few lines around her eyes, but familiar blue eyes. She was dressed in jeans, a jumper and a blue long coat with her long blonde hair up in a messy bun. She was beaming at Rose, but there was also worry in her eyes. At first, she made a move towards Rose but aborted the movement as the controls flashed.

"Hello Mum," she greeted. Her TARDIS beeped and she grimaced. "Right, sorry time storms in Central Park." Athena pressed a few buttons and her face twisted with irritation. "Lots of them." The TARDIS beeped once again and Athena shifted in front of the console. "Come on Dad!"

"What's going on?" Rose asked she hated having to ask that.

"Dad's up in the Time Storms, sending information on their resonance to us."

"Us?"

Athena looked up at her, a spark of amusement in her blue eyes. She smiled again and nodded. "Yeah Mum, I'm not the only one here."

Rose wanted to ask. She wanted to know if she meant Astra or Alistair. Then again the Doctor was in his twelfth body… maybe there were even more now. Her lips wouldn't move and Rose forced herself to take a breath. This was already spiralling out of control. First another incarnation of the Doctor, a possessed Ace and now another meeting with future children. At this rate travelling in the TARDIS might be safer, calmer and make more sense.

Movement in the corner of her eye made Rose turn sharply as another woman strode into the room. Rose's eyes jumped over the new woman in the room. She looked like she was in her twenties with long hair hanging over her shoulders that looked halfway between brown and ginger. Her green eyes were very familiar, but Rose couldn't place them. Dressed in jeans, a black t-shirt with a purple leather coat and boots she looked ready for anything. Rose's first thought was 'companion', but the young woman beamed at her and glanced over at Athena.

"If I'd have known your Mum was coming for a visit I'd have had Jack put his pants on," the woman said.

"Mel," Jenny said in a warning tone. "He'd better be getting his pants on as it is."

"You're Mel?" Rose asked before she thought better of it. She'd heard the name before, thanks to Astra and apparently Mel was… "Uh… are you a companion?" she asked. Rose hoped that if this was before the relationship started they hadn't noticed her reaction.

"Not exactly, I'm Athena's girlfriend," Mel replied. She winked at Rose and then all but skipped over next to Athena. Her smile dropped away as she looked at the screen. "That's a lot of time storms. Look at the readings, I've never heard of anything that bad."

"No," Athena agreed. "Not even in the history books."

"Do you know where the Doctor is?" Rose asked. She kept lingering by the doorway, suddenly very unsure of herself. "He went into the storms."

"Dad will be fine," Athena assured her. The Time Lady gave her a soft smile. "But I can't get a lock on his location. These storms interfere with the instruments of a TARDIS, but he has the strongest and oldest TARDIS. If any ship can stay safe in the storms it is the TARDIS."

"Then why-" Rose started to ask, but someone came into the TARDIS console room.

Turning, Rose wasn't sure how to react when Jack stepped forward. He was dressed in his classic button down shirt, suspenders and long coat combination. She thought his hair might be a bit longer than the last time she'd seen him, but otherwise, he looked unchanged. Jack grinned at her, but Rose caught the shadow in his eyes. None the less, he crossed the room and swept her up into a hug.

"Hello, Rosie!"

"Hi Jack," Rose managed. "Good to see you."

"Overwhelmed?" Jack asked warmly as he set her back down. He glanced towards the two women who were leaning over the controls. "Well, I see you've met my gorgeous girls."

"I'm not your gorgeous girl," Mel huffed. She flipped her long hair and gave him a smirk. "If anything you're our boy." Mel wrapped an arm around Athena's waist.

"Oh I'll take that position anytime," Jack returned with a rather filthy grin that just made Mel smile wider.

"None of that in front of my Mum," Athena ordered. She gave them both warnings looks only to get smouldering eyes in return. A soft blush took over Athena's cheeks and she did a poor job of hiding her pleased smile. "Honestly, you two."

"Rose knows not all relationships are just two," Jack said, sounding a little defensive.

"Yeah, I know that," Rose said quickly. "But she's my daughter Jack. And there are time storms outside and Ace is in trouble so let's focus on that yeah!"

"Okay I'm getting some readings from Dad," Athena said. "Mel we're going to need the-"

"On it!" Mel jumped back from the console and rushed down the corridor. "BRB!"

Rose blinked and stared after the strange girl. There was still something oddly familiar about her that Rose just couldn't place. It felt like she should know her, but this wasn't the time. Walking across the console room, she joined Athena in looking at the scanner. The screen showed several large spinning circles with small numbers around the edges. It didn't mean anything to Rose, but she was guessing it wasn't good.

Then the TARDIS shuddered. Rose's eyes jumped towards the door as Jack groaned. He moved towards the door and pulled some sort of blaster from a shoulder holster beneath his coat. "If you want to cancel out those storms then we have to get out there," Jack snapped.

"One second… message from Alice," Athena said. Rose's eyes widened slightly at the unfamiliar name, but she said nothing. "She and Aurora are on the south side of the park."

"Anything from Alistair?" Jack asked.

"West side, but we're on our own here."

Mel returned before Rose could give into the temptation to ask about Alice and Aurora. She was carrying a large duffle bag sized grey box with handles. It shimmered slightly, made of some sort of metal, with odd little buttons across the top. Setting them beside the console, Mel knelt down and turned a knob and pressed buttons while Athena read off a long string of numbers.

"Done!" Mel said a moment later. She swung up the device and grunted a bit. "Blimey, this is heavy." Turning towards Jack, she fluttered her eyelashes. "Help a girl out sweetie?"

A laugh escaped Jack and he strode over, giving her a wink. Mel's eyes lingered on Jack as he turned and carried the large grey box to the door. Athena smiled in amusement and shook her head leaving Rose completely unsure of how she was supposed to react. Then Athena pressed another button on the console and headed over to the door.

"I'm coming with you," Rose said.

"Dad didn't take you-"

"My daughter and one of my best friends aren't going out there without me."

"You know you won't win," Jack said. He pulled open the doors and they stepped out one after another in the storm. "We need to get this deployed!" Jack shouted over the wind. "Come on!"

They forced themselves out into the wind. Rose could hear the rumble of thunder overhead, but she also thought she heard the grinding of another TARDIS and the sounds of animals. Athena grabbed her hand and tugged gently. In the corner of her eye, Rose saw more of the figures lurching towards them. They ran across the uneven lawn as nearby tree began to crack under the stress of the storms. Rose's mind wondered how Ace had even survived. Then again Fenric's storm hadn't been meant to destroy, just move. These storms were different.

Athena suddenly told them to stop. Jack set down the device and Athena began to make adjustments to it. The tornado seemed right next to them, but it was pushing outward rather than pulling in. Rose shuddered and eyed the advancing aliens. They were picking up speed now. The machine began to hum. Eying the device, Rose watched the small lights on the top shifted in colour. She wanted to ask what was happening, but a strange flash of light in the corner of her eye instantly distracted Rose.

Moving away from the device, Rose scanned the aliens. There were roughly humanoid, but their bodies were a deep dark shade of green and they had strange tentacles coiling out of their heads and necks. They didn't seem to be armed, but Jack moved a few feet away from her and pulled out his blaster.

The alien's arm glowed and Rose brought up her sword. There was a wave of purplish energy that blasted through the air. Deflecting the first blast with her sword, Rose accidently sent it reflecting at one of the other aliens. It screamed and fell to the ground. A series of rapid blasts from Jack put two more of the aliens down. Rose grimaced at the shots but said nothing. Jack shouted something to Athena and Mel. Behind her, Rose could hear them arguing and the soft beeping of the machine.

Ducking, Rose avoided another blast, but as she moved to evade the attack from the second creature, she saw purple in the corner of her eye. Rose felt herself shoved to the right. A scream ripped through the wind, filling Rose's ears and then she heard someone collapse in front of her. Dropping down, Rose blinked to clear her eyes and gasped as she found Mel prone on the ground. Mel was gasping for air and part of her leather jacket had been melted. Below it, Mel's skin was smoking. Rose's eyes widened, but the girl was still breathing.

Looking toward Jack, Rose found him still firing at the aliens. Panic and grief roared through Rose's chest as she stumbled back to Mel. Rose dropped down next to Mel and carefully reached out to her. Mel groaned in pain and raised her green eyes up to Rose. Grimacing in sympathy, Rose brushed a strand of the girl's hair out of her face. Athena shouted something and there was a sudden whine from the machine that made the hairs on Rose's arms stand up.

"Mel?" Rose helplessly brushed some of the woman's hair from her face. "Oh god, I'm so-"

"Don't," Mel groaned. "It's okay. Couldn't let them hurt you." Mel raised a shaking hand and looked at it. Rose followed her gaze and gasped. A soft golden glow was beginning to surround Mel's hand. "Look at that," Mel chuckled. "It was enough to trigger a regeneration." She looked back to Rose, her eyes slightly fearful. "I haven't done this before."

A million questions ran through Rose's mind, the dominant one being just who this girl was. She wasn't their daughter, that much was clear thanks to her relationship with Athena, but how could she regenerate? Her shock must have been on her face because Mel laughed a little. Around them, the sound of the storm was lessening and the world darkened as the lightning flashes stopped.

"Never introduced myself properly did I?" She shifted a little and began to stand up as the golden glow spread further across her skin. "I'm Melody Rose Pond." Mel gave her a wide smile and stepped back a bit. Rose felt her mouth drop open a bit. "You know my Mum and Dad a bit already. Well, let's just say that they're going to be very interesting."

Then Rose heard Athena's voice shout something behind her. Seconds later, Athena and Jack came rushing over, Jack still shooting at something beyond Mel with his laser blaster. Three of the storms were still raging and Rose knew they needed to keep going, but she was frozen in place.

"Mel?" Athena called, her voice thin and scared.

"It's okay babe," Mel said. She lifted her hands, letting the gold energy cascade around her. "Can't hold off anymore, though."

"You're regenerating," Athena said sadly.

"Probably won't be like you, babe. I'll have to change," Mel replied. She forced a smile for Athena and Jack. "Hope you'll like the new look."

"I love you," Athena said. Rose looked over to find Jack holding Athena closely while he watched Mel with a torn expression. Athena was gripping his arm tightly and looked ready to break down in tear.

"None of that my loves," Mel said, her tone softer now. "Think of the fun we'll have learning my new body." She gave them a flirty wink and then the gold energy consumed her.

Rose covered her eyes to block the glow, but it faded in seconds. Gold energy rushed out around him and her eyes widened as it crashed into the three remaining aliens, sending them flying. Then the reddish haired girl with Rory's eyes was gone. A slightly shorter young woman with mocha skin, tightly curled black hair and large brown eyes was standing in her place. The new Mel started to move but stumbled. Jack sprang forward and swung her into his arms, resting her against his chest while she groaned. Athena nodded to him and stepped closer to Rose.

"Get her to the Zero Room, I'll stay with Rose. We've got to stop this!"

"Athena." Rose reached and overtook Athena's hand. A sniff escaped the Time Lady and she gripped Rose's hand tightly. "You can go-"

"No, we need to stop Fenric and we can't risk you getting hurt." Athena turned and marched back to the device as Jack rushed back towards their TARDIS. She picked up the machine and gave Rose a forced smile. "Come on Mummy, there's still a world to save."


	55. Return of Fenric: Checkmate

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-Five: Return of Fenric: Checkmate

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

Athena led the way. Thankfully they were further from another group of aliens that a time storm had dropped this time. None the less, Rose kept checking on them, unwilling to risk Athena or herself to another attack. Guilt clawed at her gut despite Mel telling her not to feel bad. She somewhat understood. Mel's history and birth were wrapped up with her so to a Time Lady it probably was better to give up one regeneration rather than risk her whole life. That still didn't make it easy for Rose to accept that someone had died for her.

In the distance, Rose could see a blue box, but she couldn't be sure if it was the Doctor's TARDIS or another young Time Lord's. The realisation that somehow there were so many, even more than her own children, made Rose's knees weak. She wasn't sure what to think about Mel coming from Amy and Rory and wondered how it was possible once again. Rose shook her head, telling herself to focus on the current crisis and not future mysteries. Her eyes scanned the park, trying to find some sign of Fenric in Ace's body. They still had no plan for saving her.

They were near one of the buildings now and fairly close to a larger body of water. Honestly Rose had no clue where they were in the park, but she could faintly hear sirens now and grimaced. At least there was a UNIT branch in New York to help with the cleanup of this mess.

Suddenly Athena stopped. Less than half a mile away a time storm was churning and ripping apart nearby trees. "This is close enough," Athena said.

"I'm sorry about Mel," Rose said gently. She looked around nervously even as her eyes went to the tense shoulders of her future daughter. Rose didn't have to know Athena well to know that she was worried and agitated. She had the same tells as her father. "Do you think she'll be okay."

"She'll be alright." Athena adjusted the controls without looking up. "The first regeneration can be rough since you don't know what to expect. I mean not really, you know rationally what to expect. She'll be able to recover in the Zero Room. It will block out the time storms. They feel really weird to our senses so it's better she's not near them now."

"Athena, are you okay?" Rose asked, interrupting the rambling woman.

"One of my…" Athena sniffed slightly. "She's regenerated. I'm a bit scared about what happens next." She wiped at her eyes. "Jack doesn't age or die, he doesn't change. I don't change when I regenerate, I just rejuvenate. I've been sort of dreading this."

"Some things will change," Rose agreed. She reached over to touch her future daughter's hand. "But love isn't one of those. The big things, the big emotions don't change. Try not to worry."

"I know that in my mind," Athena said. She sniffed a little and cleared her throat. The device whined and Rose glanced towards the slow line of creatures moving towards them. "Guess I just won't feel right about it until we-" She suddenly stopped herself and looked at Rose. "Well until this over and we can spend some time together."

"Athena I hate to tell you this, but I have a pretty good idea of what's going on in your TARDIS," Rose said. She couldn't help but grimace a little and shivered. "I do know Jack after all."

"Dad prefers to pretend he doesn't," Athena said. She was smiling now and glanced around. "Talking of Dad, where the hell is he?" Athena looked up into the sky. "He's gotten us the information we needed for the time storms. What else is he planning?"

Biting her lip, Rose looked around and tried to catch a glimpse of the other TARDIS she'd seen. Her stomach turned slightly and she hoped desperately that the Doctor hadn't gone off to face Fenric alone. A bright splash of colour in the corner of her eye made Rose look towards the nearby grey building. There on the wall in bright yellow with an outline of blue were the graffitied the words: Bad Wolf. She inhaled sharply, the words both reassuring and intimidating as they always were.

The machine beeped loudly and released a loud whining sound. It was a bit like UNIT's sonic modulator Rose realised with a bit of interest. She was about to ask Athena about it when the girl made a cheering sound and the machine beeped again. Looking up, Rose checked the storm and smiled. Already she could see the winds begin to slow down and the popping in her ears eased. The flashes of the strange lightning faded and Rose released another soft breath as she looked towards another storm. It was dying down as well.

"The others are at work too," Athena said. Her voice was thick with relief. "I hope Dad has a plan-"

The wave of pale green energy hit Athena, knocking her back against the wall. Rose heard a crack and her heart stopped as her future daughter dropped to the ground motionless. Jumping towards her, Rose stopped only when a bolt of strange greenish lightning hit the machine in front of her. It exploded in a shower of sparks and Rose's eyes instantly moved to where the attack had come from. Fenric strode towards her, green eyes glowing and that smirk still plastered on Ace's face.

"Baby Time Lords shouldn't play with Gods," Fenric sneered. Then Ace's eyes settled on Rose and Fenric tilted her head. Rose really didn't like the look it was giving her. "And you are… the Time Lord's mate. How unexpected and delightful."

"Get out of Ace!" Rose narrowed her eyes on Fenric. Her heart was racing and her eyes jumped to Athena. Thankfully she could see that she was still breathing, but the fear remained. Adjusting her hand, Rose summoned her sword and brought it up in front of her. "Now!"

"Oh playing brave!" Fenric laughed, its eyes flashing. Then it stopped and considered her. "Ace has some interesting memories of you…" Fenric looked her up and down. "You don't seem as dangerous as she imagines you to be."

"You have no idea how dangerous I can be," Rose growled.

There was a heartbeat as Fenric stared at her. Then it smirked once again and Rose's chest tightened. In the distance over Fenric's shoulder, she could see another time storm dissipate and wondered if the others were aware of Mel's regeneration. Had they felt it or felt their sister Athena injured? Her brown eyes met Fenric and Rose was frozen in place.

Something in those eyes terrified her. It swarmed around her, casting her into an ocean of nothing. She was so small in comparison. A shiver of fear travelled down her spine and Rose struggled to keep the panic clawing at her chest from taking over. Fenric narrowed Ace's eyes on her and Rose grit her teeth, knowing that the thing inside her friend was enjoying her fear.

Then a familiar beloved wheezing sound echoed around them. Fenric straightened up and glared at an empty space to their left. Rose's heart jumped as the outline of the TARDIS appeared. Fenric raised a hand and before Rose could move sent a bolt of lightning at the door. It swung open and Rose shouted a warning, but the lightning rippled over some kind of barrier. In the doorway was the Doctor. His blue eyes were icy and dark, fixed on Fenric.

"Tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator," the Doctor said. His tone seemed calm, but Rose could hear the rage bubbling just below the surface. "I wouldn't even try Fenric."

Rose tried to stay completely still and silent. She wasn't behind the force field and neither was Athena, but so long as Fenric focused on the Doctor they might be safe. She waited for a heartbeat before taking one small step towards Athena.

"What now Time Lord?" Fenric asked. It sounded amused. "I won't fall for the chess set this time and you have no riddle with which to stump me."

"Perhaps not," the Doctor agreed. "But I'm not alone."

"Yes…" Fenric glanced towards her, curling up Ace's nose. "A lower being Time Lord, but then again you always did have a weakness for them." Then Fenric turned to look at Athena who was thankfully still breathing. "And spawn. I am not impressed with your army."

"They are my family," the Doctor corrected. "Not my army."

"It is all the same to beings like us," Fenric said. "You once broke the faith, broke the heart of this girl to defeat me," Fenric said. It patted Ace's chest with a smug smile. "You use them all."

"It was the only way to save her," the Doctor said. Something in his eyes shifted. "And yet it still pains me now."

"Do you think that appealing to Dorthy will help her fight me?" Fenric asked. "Look around Time Lord, I have summoned Time Storms. Already I have more than enough power to destroy this girl. Her essence is fluttering away even now. She dies." Fenric smiled cruelly. "Even now Doctor she's screaming for the only father she ever had."

Holding back a gasp, Rose stared at the Doctor. Even he couldn't hide his flinch. His eyes jumped over to Athena as she groaned and Rose's heart threatened to beat out of her chest. Then the Doctor looked at her. It was almost an imploring look. He was silently begging her for something, but what she wasn't sure. The sword still at the ready in her hand felt too hot and Rose wondered if he wanted her to attack. That would kill Ace and only expel Fenric from his physical form. That would stop him, but Ace wouldn't survive. No, she decided. That couldn't be it. Fenric's chuckle broke through her thoughts.

"This is what checkmate looks like Time Lord," Fenric said. Chin raised, Fenric eyed the TARDIS thoughtfully. "You hiding behind a force field leaving your mate and two of your daughters in my grasp." Then Fenric turned, giving Rose a dark smile and its eyes landed on Athena. "This daughter first I think."

Rose jumped forward as lightning gathered in Fenric's hand. She heard the Doctor shout something, but the pounding of her heart in her ears drown him out. Her sword returned to bracelet form and Rose grabbed Fenric's hand. The being in Ace's body tried to throw her off and the lightning escaped, arcing into the sky. Rose didn't let go, completely at a loss of what to do. She wanted to turn around and see what the Doctor was doing, wanted to ask him what he'd been waiting for. The pleading in his eyes flashed in her mind.

With an animalistic snarl, Fenric shifted all of Ace's weight. An elbow hit her stomach, knocking the air out of Rose. She gasped and her knees shook. Rose tried to twist away, but Fenric caught her around the neck. Ace's small hand squeezed her throat and her brown eyes met glowing green ones.

"Foolish child," Fenric snarled. "You'll die first and the Time Lord will lose everything he loves!"

"No!" the Doctor shouted. Rose faintly heard the discharge of electricity near the TARDIS, but couldn't look.

The sound made Fenric turn sharply. Fenric moved quickly, shoving Rose away and side stepping a wave of electricity crackling through the air. Gasping, Rose sucked in several deep breaths and stumbled back into the building. Rose's left hand hit the wall, her fingers brushing the graffiti words 'Bad Wolf'. Something hit her chest. Her arm ached suddenly and Rose managed to look down. Part of her left arm, a thin patch of skin was gleaming silver. Eyes widening, Rose gasped and pulled her hand away, but the silver glow was fading into a brilliant golden glow.

Energy thrummed through Rose's body, pulling her consciousness away. She was floating in a sea of power, falling through a void all at once. There was a song, a familiar song echoing through her mind. Rose was panicked and calmed all at once as something washed through her. It swirled around her singular heart and settled her comfortably. Like it belonged there. Her head was full of the song now and even as the energy strengthened her body, it lulled her to sleep.

Fenric took a fearful step back, eying her cautiously as Rose straightened up. She couldn't see it but a golden glow had enveloped her body. Opening her eyes, Rose fixed them on Fenric, but the brown eyes had become spinning orbs of gold. Around her an aura of golden energy spread through the air, illuminating the building around them. On the wall, the words Bad Wolf shimmered and then vanished.

"What is this?" Fenric asked. Ace's voice wavered slightly. "What are you?"

"Now you've done it," the Doctor said, his voice wavering with shock.

"I am the Bad Wolf."


	56. Return of Fenric: Battle of Wolves

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-Six: Return of Fenric: Battle of Wolves

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

The words hung in the air, thick and heavy with power. The Doctor's shoulders visibly dropped in relief and his blue eyes closed for a moment. He raised a hand and rubbed it over his face, muttering something too softly to be heard. In the distance, another Time Storm dispersed and the sky overhead eased with the dark clouds beginning to clear. Sirens echoed and damaged branches creaked and cracked.

"That's enough Fenric," Rose's voice echoed and she all but spat the name. "Leave the girl. Relinquish your claim on her."

"Oh…" Fenric's eyes widened, but then it smiled. "It has been a long time, hasn't it. You've reformed…" Fenric paused and eyed her. "Not completely… this is part you and part something else."

"I am the Bad Wolf."

"Bad Wolf," Fenric repeated. A low chuckle escaped Ace's throat. "You do recall that I was the evil one." With a low growl, Fenric looked to the Doctor who was standing near the TARDIS. "I know what this creature is Doctor, don't think you have won."

"I highly doubt you know as much as you think you do Fenric," the Doctor said carefully.

Rose turned to look at him. Those blue eyes were cloudy with worry as they kept moving between her, Athena and Ace. The rush of energy through her body softened at the Doctor's look of near panic. He was watching her again. She could feel his fear and turned her attention back to the threat at hand, the threat against her family, her pack.

"Leave the girl and return your slaves to their own times or you will be destroyed."

"Don't threaten me!" Fenric's eyes narrowed and the tone lowered dangerously. "You were split apart when this universe began! I was strong enough to survive. Don't think you're stronger. I am the stronger of the ancient ones! Don't delude yourself!"

Rose's lips twisted into a slight knowing smirk. The light in her eyes increased. "I know I am the stronger!" She raised a hand and golden dust began to circle around it lazily, shifting with every little twitch of her finger. "I'm not what I used to be, but also more. I am the Bad Wolf and I create myself."

Fenric raised its hand, lightning arching between his fingertips. Bad Wolf just watched it, completely unconcerned. "I do not fear you," Fenric said. Yet there was unease in its voice and Bad Wolf smiled. "I fear nothing."

Lightning arched off Fenric's hand and Ace's body shuddered despite its intentions. There was a layer of sweat on Ace's brow which Bad Wolf's eyes narrowed on. Waving her left hand lazily, Bad Wolf sent forth a wave of golden energy that caught the lightning and snuffed it out. Fenric took a small step back.

"Last chance Fenric. One wolf to another. Leave the girl, end your storms and depart."

Fenric took another step back with thoughtful eyes, but then Ace's features twisted into an angry sneer. Throwing their hands forward, Fenric relished a wave of energy that rushed through the air at Rose. Her hand came up in a casual wave. The energy shimmered with gold and dispersed through the air. Then she focused those glowing eyes on Fenric. Golden energy spun forth, spinning around Ace's figure as Fenric tried to fight back. Then they were immobilised.

"Stop!" Fenric shouted. "Stop! Alright! Alright, you win this time! Lock me up! I'm defeated!"

The Bad Wolf said nothing. She pointed a finger at Fenric and the golden glow intensified. Ace's body convulsed, head being thrown back in a silent scream. Thick green smoke was pulled from her mouth, but it was enveloped by the golden glow. Trendiles of gold swam around Ace's body and lowered her gently to the ground even as the green smoke was surrounded.

"You had your chance old dark wolf," Bad Wolf said. She waved her hand once more and the golden energy overwhelmed the pale green smoke. "There will be no return. No spark to restore yourself from. There will not even be a flicker."

Then the green smoke was gone, crushed and destroyed by the field of gold. Bad Wolf's eyes stared out into the darkness. Then she turned them towards the Doctor. Bad Wolf smiled at him and then breathed out. The power and the world faded. The Doctor shouted for Rose and warm arms caught her as her legs gave out.

….

Groaning softly, Rose tried to open her eyes. Her whole body felt heavy. She was warm and safe, surrounding by a familiar scent. It was a bit different, but some part of her knew that it would be. Still, there was the smell that could only be Time and an underlying smell of the Doctor mixed with chalk and old books. She decided that she liked the new smell as much as she liked the past few smells of his. Feeling safe, Rose forced her other senses to work. Rose could hear voices now. There was an ache all through her body as the song slowly faded. She didn't want it to go, but couldn't stop it from slipping away. It was familiar and yet she couldn't quite place it. The fog was still thick around her and she focused on the voices.

"Athena? How are you feeling?" Rose thought it was the Doctor's voice. The voice was thicker than before, the Scottish burr heavy with worry. A memory of a new face poked at her. "Are you injured?"

"Sore, but I'm fine," Athena's voice answered. "A bit embarrassed at being caught like that." There was a soft groan and the sound of someone moving. "Honestly though Dad how could you let Mum go up against Fenric?"

"Timelines Athena. You know that!" He sounded impatient and worried again. Yes, Rose decided, it was the Doctor. The words were full of guilt. She didn't like that part of his voice and really wished it would go away for good. "Your mother told me to come today and to let things play out!"

"But-"

"Athena, do you honestly believe that I would ever willing risk your Mother?" There was a sharpness to his voice that surprised Rose. "Ever?"

There was a pause and then a loud sigh. "No, sorry Dad. Of course not. You'd never let her be a risk if you could get away with it."

"She's stubborn like that," the Doctor grumbled. "And passed it on to the lot of you."

"She blames it on you," Athena replied. A soft sniff escaped Athena and Rose tried to move and open her eyes. "Melody protected Mum from one of Fenric's army. She regenerated."

"Oh," There was an uncertain tone to his voice. Then he sighed, sounding irritated and resigned all at once. "I'm sure it'll be alright dear. Big things don't change. Melody loves you." His tone was warmer now. "You and Jack. Feelings like that don't change. They transcend even the change of regeneration."

Rose now realised that fingers were running through her hair gently. Someone shifted and she opened her eyes to find herself looking up at the Doctor receiving a hug from Athena. He seemed to be half trying to twist away but then sighed and stilled. Resignation was written all over his face, but despite his grumbling, there was a hint of pleasure in his eyes. Athena giggled and kissed his cheek. Rose's eyes slid closed again even as she smiled.

"I knew this grumpy thing was an act," she said.

"No it isn't," the Doctor huffed. "And don't take what I said as a blessing for you being Jack."

"It's all an act," Athena said happily. Then she relaxed. "Thanks, Daddy. Do you need help with Mum and Ace?"

"No… go and check on Melody." The Doctor shifted Rose and she managed a soft groan. She lifted a hand to grip one of his lapels. Lips brushed her forehead and Rose hummed happily. "And tell her thank you for me."

"I will," Athena promised. "We'll be ready for the link up. Just call when you're ready."

Rose heard her go and the Doctor chuckled slightly. Rose decided that she like his new laugh. It wasn't as big or bold as some of his other laughs, but it was nice none the less. The Doctor lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his chest. Then he adjusted her and kissed her forehead.

"I know you're awake, Darling."

"Oh?"

"As long we've been married, I know your breathing patterns," the Doctor said.

"That's nice," Rose muttered. She forced open her eyes again and looked up at him. "What happened?"

"Fenric took on something he shouldn't have."

Rose moved her head slightly to look around. The Doctor's TARDIS was right next to them, doors open and Ace was lying on the ground nearby. She'd been shifted onto her back with her hands folded over her stomach. Rose couldn't see any sign of injury. Her face seemed peaceful, but Rose tensed up a little.

"Is she?"

"She's fine," the Doctor said shortly. The Doctor lifted her off the ground still cradled in his arms. "Let's get you into the TARDIS."

Rose wanted to argue that she could walk, but the Doctor's grip was tight and the thrum of his double hearts against her cheek was comforting. He snapped his fingers, never shifting his arms beneath her shoulders. The doors of the TARDIS swung open and he tenderly took her to one of the armchairs. Rose sighed as he let her go, but her head was clearing. She focused on his blue eyes and felt the last of the tension ease away. The Doctor knelt in front of her, looking at her face in worry. Then he slowly relaxed and leaned forward to brush his lips against him. As he moved away, Rose grabbed his hand.

"I need to get Ace," the Doctor said gently. The fingers of his free hand were moving through her hair in a soothing gesture. "I promise darling that I'll be right back. The children are dealing with the last of the time storms. We'll get those creatures out of New York. It'll all be alright. It's over, I promise."

Nodding, Rose released his hand. He smiled and turned her hand to kiss it gently. Rose watched him swoop out of the TARDIS and closed her eyes for a moment. Gold rippled across the backs of her eyelids as the last of the song faded from her mind. Yet she could feel an echo. Something remained that Rose didn't fully understand, but this time she didn't feel scared of it.

The hum of the TARDIS welcomed the Doctor back as he carried Ace across the console room a few moments later. Standing up slowly, Rose gripped the back of the armchair and shook her head. The last of the fog was clearing from her head leaving her uncertain. Her whole body felt fatigued and her muscles ached. Yet she also felt wide awake and energised like she'd drunk too much caffeine. Something was tugging at her memory and Rose couldn't remember what had happened. She focused her thoughts on Ace and the Doctor.

"Shouldn't we get her to the infirmary?" Rose asked. She looked back at Ace as the Doctor gently set her in one of the armchairs. Her hand came up to rest on the edge of the TARDIS console. "Doctor?"

The Doctor didn't say anything for a moment. He pulled out the sonic screwdriver and ran it around Ace's head. Rose held her breath until his shoulders relaxed. "She's fine," the Doctor said. "Fenric was forced out before any permanent damage was done."

He stood up and moved to her side, repeating the scanning motion with the screwdriver. Rose noted that he didn't look so worried this time and she relaxed. With a small smile, he slipped the sonic screwdriver back into his pocket and covered her hand with his. There was still worry in his eyes and he took her face in thoughtfully.

"Doctor, what happened?" Rose asked. Her voice sounded weak and far away. "I don't… I don't remember."

"Rose, is there anything you do remember?" the Doctor asked. His eyes were fixed on hers with curiosity and a hint of worry swirling in them. "Anything at all?"

"There…" Rose frowned and bit her lower lip. "There was this song. I could hear singing, but then…" She shook her head and sighed in frustration. "No, not really. I can't remember, but is Fenric really gone?"

"Yes Fenric is really gone and for good this time."

"How?"

A beep from the consoles made the Doctor release a slow breath. Rose frowned as he reached for a lever and adjusted the main screen. "I need to finish this," he told Rose. "Then we'll talk. I'll answer the questions I can. I promise."

Sensing that he meant it, Rose nodded and shifted back so the Doctor had access to all the controls. She looked over at Ace who just seemed to be sleeping as the Doctor pressed a few buttons and moved the console screen. Rose glanced back at the Doctor, but he was focusing on something else. She crossed the room to Ace and just to reassure herself laid her fingers against Ace's pulse point. The other woman's pulse was strong and she was breathing in and out regularly.

"Athena, Astra, Alistair," the Doctor called.

Rose turned and watched silently as the screen turned on. It divided into several small areas with faces like a regular video call. Watching them all, Rose noted that Athena's face was familiar, but the others were not. Something twisted in her stomach and she reminded herself that given the Doctor was in his twelfth body it was normal to assume that Alistair and Astra might have regenerated by this point. Ace groaned softly and Rose knelt down next to her, taking her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Everything in place?" the Doctor asked.

"Yes, Dad," a male voice that wasn't familiar said. "We're ready for the transfer. The link up is secure."

"Good," the Doctor said. "My TARDIS will direct the temporal returns."

"You're reversing the time storms?" Rose asked.

"Not exactly," the Doctor said. "But with a few linked up TARDIS, we can force a temporal shift in beings carrying Artron energy." He adjusted a few buttons. "It's not something I can usually do, but today we can make this short and simple."

Then the Doctor and Rose could only assume the other Time Lords and Time Ladies began a string of technobabble the likes of which she'd never even imagined. The Doctor kept shouting various things as he moved around the TARDIS and added names like Aurora and Alice into the mix in addition to the more familiar ones. Rose tried to follow what was going on, but as the console's central column whirled and lit up and the Doctor's voice was drowned out Rose decided it wasn't worth it.

There were sparks coming on the console and the Doctor snapped something that the TARDIS didn't translate. Rose shifted in front of Ace protectively only for the TARDIS to shudder a moment later. Then everything went still and the TARDIS lights dimmed. Rose had only a moment to worry before the hum of the TARDIS grew louder and the lights were back on.

"Ah there we are!" the Doctor cheered. He rubbed his hands together and moved in front of the screen. "Everyone alright?"

"Fine Dad," several voices answered. Rose felt a bit lightheaded at the sound of their voices.

"Excellent," the Doctor said. Rose could hear a smile in his voice and tentatively stepped away from Ace. "I'll wrap things up here."

The screen went dark and the Doctor pressed a couple more buttons. Then he turned towards her, his coat flaring slightly. It made Rose smile and he held out his hand to her. Without hesitation, Rose left Ace's side and moved up onto the console platform to take the Doctor's hand.

Rose didn't give the Doctor a chance to change his mind about answering her questions. "So did you know what was going to happen?" Rose asked. The memory of his expectant look and worry pushed itself to the front of her mind.

"No," the Doctor answered. He was still staring at her with those fathomless blue eyes. "I didn't, but you will tell me to come and send the others to help. I trust you."

Rose couldn't help but smile at the sentiment even as her unease over her memory taunted her. Shifting nervously, she bit at her bottom lip only for the Doctor's hand to catch her own. Their fingers threaded together and despite herself, she relaxed. Still, she couldn't help but feel guilty over the way he'd been waiting for something to save them. He'd looked so worried and yet had faith in what she told him.

"What is it?" the Doctor asked.

Rose tried to find the right words, but it was difficult. The Doctor was silent and gave her time, lingering at her side and keeping a loose grip on her hand. Finally, her thoughts settled enough that Rose was able to speak.

"Do you get angry at me?" she asked softly. "For all the secrets I mean?" Looking up nervously at the Doctor with her wide brown eyes, Rose braced herself for the worse. "Your ninth self I mean, you must have known that I was keeping things from you-"

"I did," the Doctor agreed. "I knew that there were timelines and out of order meetings in place, but Rose you never taunted me with them. You were honest as much as you could be and I appreciated that." He gave her a soft smile. "Besides you were the one living your day to day life in London, the out of order meetings was on me. Or at least had to happen that way thanks to temporal loops. I'd never blame you for that."

Rose wasn't completely reassured and lowered her eyes. The Doctor brushed a kiss to her forehead. "What else Darling?"

"I'm sorry," Rose apologised. "It's just… I suppose part of me almost believed that the day I left with you would never come."

"Humans," the Doctor chuckled. "No sense of time."

"Not all of us can be Time Lords," Rose replied, rolling her eyes. That got a smile out of him and she took a deep breath. "I didn't trap you did I? You never felt like you had to love me or anything like that?" The Doctor's eyebrows went up and he looked honestly confused. Rose was almost proud of herself, but she still needed an answer. "All the timelines stuff… you weren't trapped by it, right? You didn't… I mean we didn't… it wasn't because something had to happen a certain way right?"

"Ah," the Doctor said. He nodded slightly and then looked ready to laugh until he saw Rose's expression. "No darling, again no." He brought a hand up and tapped her nose fondly. "While I knew I'd meet you again the nature of those meetings wasn't discussed. Aside from using my name with my seventh self you never once indicated the… nature of our future relationship to me and I had to forget that. Everything else was just me helping you save Earth."

"Good," Rose said. She sighed softly in relief. "I didn't- I don't want to be an obligation."

"Believe me, Rose Marion Tyler, I wouldn't have children with an obligation," the Doctor said with a teasing smile. When Rose gave him a look the Doctor just laughed. "Besides your respect for timelines was something I appreciated about you." He leaned down and kissed her. Just a soft teasing kiss. "You were never an obligation. You were and still are my greatest adventure."

Rose blushed, but one look in his eyes reassured her of just how serious he was. Leaning up towards him, Rose sighed happily as he moved to meet her halfway. The Doctor's grip on her tightened, but then a groan from Ace drew their attention towards her. Rose bit her lip and held back the rest of the questions she wanted to ask.


	57. Return of Fenric: The Last Mystery

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-Six: Return of Fenric: The Last Mystery

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…..

Ace opened her eyes and looked up the domed ceiling. The Doctor made an abortive move towards her only to stop short of her. His fingers curled into fists as he gave Ace a moment to breathe and wake up. He stepped back next to Rose and on instinct, she shifted next to him once again. The Doctor smiled a little and his arm returned to its prior position.

Ace stood up and groaned softly before she caught sight of the console. Blinking her eyes, she began to look around with a hint of unease. Her shoulders slowly relaxed and a slight smile tugged at her lips as her gaze shifted over to Rose and the Doctor. Smirking slightly, Ace nodded pointedly to where the Doctor's hand rested on the small of Rose's back just above her bum.

"Bit handsy Doctor?"

"You know very well that I'm married to her," the Doctor countered in a blend of annoyance and amusement.

"Not yet," Ace reminded him looking far too happy.

"Time Lord," the Doctor answered almost dismissively even as he gave Rose a soft glance that made her smile.

"I accepted that temporal shenanigans would be a thing long ago," Rose informed Ace with a laugh. None the less, she stepped away from the Doctor with a pointed look towards Ace.

"Am I… is Fenric?" Ace suddenly struggled with her words.

"Fenric is gone," the Doctor said. His tone was low and final as he stepped away from Rose and closer to Ace. "It can't harm you Ace. Never again. Fenric wasn't just expelled from a host, Fenric was completely destroyed."

"By what?" Ace's eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. "How? I mean it was around before the universe right?"

"It tangled with something much more powerful than it was."

"Is that all you're going to say?" Ace asked. Then she sighed and shook her head when he said nothing. "I guess some things don't change after all." Rose saw the Doctor's shoulders tighten at the words, but then the Ace's face cleared and she inhaled deeply. "Thank you for coming for me," Ace told the Doctor seriously, awkwardly crossing her arms over her chest.

"I would never let Fenric hurt you Ace," the Doctor assured her. Rose swallowed, there was a hint of pleading in his voice. "I hope you know that."

"Yeah," Ace breathed as tears gathered in her eyes. "I do know that." She rolled her lips for a moment and sniffed before saying. "You know when people ask me about my father I still think about you."

"I know," the Doctor answered so softly that she almost couldn't hear him. Then he smiled and reached forward to cup Ace's cheek for a moment. "I'm not proud of everything I put you through Ace, but I am so proud of what you did with all of it. I've always been proud of you."

Ace grinned, without warning, she threw her arms around the Doctor. He grimaced a look of distaste on his face and trying to fidget away from the embrace. Ace caught on quickly, but rather than releasing him only smiled evilly and held on. Grabbing the edge of the console, Rose tried not to fall over laughing.

"Alright!" the Doctor shouted. "Alright Ace, you've made your point. I'm proud of you and you're grateful. That's all very lovely." The Doctor almost spat the last word and Rose bit her lip. "Now let go of me."

Laughing, Ace released him and just smiled sweetly when he glowered down at her. "Sorry Professor, but you being grumpy just eggs me on."

"You never did need much encouragement," the Doctor muttered. He straightened his coat a little while Ace winked at Rose over his shoulder. "None of that."

"What she sees in you eludes me," Ace teased. She was still grinning at him.

"I'm a joy to be around," the Doctor said drily.

Rose lost it. Giggles escaped her and she half-collapsed over the controls. She couldn't help her grin and looked up to find the Doctor watching her not with irritation, but a warm expression. Ace was looking up at him and shaking her head fondly.

"You are so gone on her," Ace said warmly. She honestly looked very pleased by the whole thing. Then she looked back at Rose. "Thanks for coming Rose."

"Of course." Rose frowned a little. "Do you remember anything?"

Slowly Ace shook her head. "No," she finally said. "Nothing clearly anyway. It was sort of like sleeping, fuzzy like a dream."

"You were being suppressed," the Doctor said. "That's a normal side effect. I've checked you over Ace, nothing you need to worry about."

Ace nodded slowly and the Doctor relaxed at the show of trust. "Dare I ask where we are?" Ace asked, shifting a bit uncomfortably.

"Your flat. I'm afraid you need some window repaired, but so does half of New York at this point," the Doctor answered. He rolled his eyes a bit.

"If that's the worst aftermath of this, I will take it," Ace said quickly. She shivered. "It all happened so fast, I was barely aware of it before it-"

"Try not to think about it," the Doctor said, gripping Ace's shoulder again. "You made it through. You fought hard enough to survive being taken over Ace."

There was something passed unspoken between Rose and the Doctor. Some memory or some name from the last time they'd fought Fenric. To her surprise, Ace wasn't asking what had stopped Fenric. Lowering her eyes, Rose gave them a moment before the sound of the Doctor grumbling made her look up. Ace had the Doctor's arms locked in another hug and he was valiantly protesting. Then Ace released him, leaned up and kissed his cheek. This time the Doctor didn't protest.

"See you around Professor, don't wait years before you visit again." She walked across the room to Rose and pulled her into a hug. "Look after him," Ace whispered into Rose ear.

"I will," Rose promised. "I love him."

"Good, he deserves that." Ace let her go and looked between them. "I'll let myself out. I don't think I want to hang around in here with him looking at you like that." Her remark earned a dark look from the Doctor. "Take care Professor."

Rose managed a wave to Ace who gave her a grin and waved back on her way to the door. The Doctor grumbled something under his breath, but Rose didn't miss the way he gravitated towards her. Then his hand was resting on the small of her back again even as he adjusted the controls. Rose leaned her head against his arm, feeling a rush of satisfaction when he didn't pull away. The TARDIS groaned for a moment and then they were surrounded with a soft hum.

"We're in the Vortex now," the Doctor said. "I promised you I'd answer the questions I could."

"What exactly happened?" Rose asked. She stayed in her place next to him, enjoying the familiar cool of his body. At least that never changed. "I remember Ace- Fenric coming up to me and knocking Athena away. There was… Bad Wolf was graffitied on that small wall and I touched it, but it all goes blurry after that."

"Fenric was destroyed by something much more powerful than it," the Doctor said. Rose stared at him, frowning at the vague answer. Unlike with Ace he grimaced a little and sighed. "That wound in your arm, the one the Silver Lord caused with that sword, let it reach you. Bad Wolf echoes back in time, but that wound was a small rip your timeline and a small opening for the power to reach you directly. Under normal circumstances, the power of Bad Wolf is there, but can't be accessed."

Rose's mind sputtered at the information. Bad Wolf had always seemed like just a message… but then again there was Lumen. That figure from her painting that had been with the TARDIS and destroyed the Abomination. There had been power there, she'd felt it then. Aware that the Doctor was watching her, Rose swallowed and licked her lips.

"You're saying that something was able to reach me because of that wound the Silver Lord gave me?" Rose clarified. Her brow furrowed and she couldn't shake the sense of unease that gave her. "Bad Wolf is… sentient?"

The Doctor gently took hold of her shoulders. "Yes, but it's alright Rose. It won't harm you. That wound just created a weak point in your potentiality. It's been burned away now so you don't need to fear it. That can't happen again."

A sigh escaped Rose and she found herself biting back a shout at the Doctor. "If I asked you would you tell me what Bad Wolf is?"

"No," he admitted. He released her arms and stepped back. "I can't tell you that Rose."

"Those words are more than just a message," Rose said. "More than just words scattered through time and teaching me to pay attention. There's power in them. I felt that today."

"Darling, you know I can't tell you."

"Why not?" Rose nodded towards the door. "I know a lot about my own future already so that's not the reason. I know that we get married, have kids and grandkids. I know your next few faces. I know that I'll go missing for a time and then return so what's the big deal. Why is this different?" She was whining a bit now and she didn't care.

"As you said, there's power in those words," the Doctor said. His words rang of finality and she could tell he wouldn't budge, not even for her. "Power meant for a certain point in time."

Sighing, Rose brought a hand up and massaged her temple. She was frustrated, tired and irritated with the Doctor, but she couldn't argue the point. He lingered by the console, watching her and giving her some space. Rose looked down at her arm where the Silver Lord had cut her with that odd sword. She traced the skin, it felt normal now, but then again it had when the Seventh Doctor had used the dermal regenerator.

"My Seventh body didn't know enough about you to properly heal it," the Doctor said, answering the unspoken question. "Didn't know what he was dealing with."

"Funny, that's the second time that the Silver Lords attempts to destroy me have actually saved me," Rose said. "His programming to get me to marry him saved me from Apep's mental powers and now this."

"Well the universe is much fonder of you than him," the Doctor replied drily.

"That's a surprise considering my timeline," Rose said. She snorted a little and shook her head. "I figured that it would hate me."

"Gordian knot," the Doctor chuckled his grey eyes sparkling with amusement. "You're fairly fond of describing your timeline that way."

"Gordian knot?" Rose repeated with a small frown of confusion. "Isn't that the knot that can't be untied."

"According to legend Alexander the Great sliced it with his sword," the Doctor lectured. His eyebrows went up at the realisation that she didn't know this yet. "So this is the origin of that little joke of yours? Excellent."

Not liking the smug little smile on his face, Rose leaned up quickly and kissed him on the lips. It was just a fast brush of her lips to his, but it silenced him and he smiled warmly down at her. There was a hint of awe in his grey eyes that made Rose want to grin like an idiot. He really was very attractive even if he was a bit older looking now. She was pretty sure mooning over him in every body was weird and undignified, but she didn't care.

"Rose Tyler," he breathed as he gently cupped her cheek. "Love of my life and completely unfazed by regeneration." He chuckled and gestured to his face as he added, "And to think I was worried that you wouldn't be happy with me regenerating older."

"Well we are grandparents at this point," Rose pointed out with a chuckle before her eyes widened. "Uh… you do know who Adam is right?"

"I do know Adam." The Doctor looked too amused. "And it's great-grandparents actually," the Doctor informed her with a soft sigh. "Found that out shortly before I regenerated. I blame the age on that news, nothing makes you feel old quite like getting a great-grandchild."

Chuckling, Rose leaned her head against the Doctor's shoulder. He was the same height as his earlier green eyed self and she fit against him perfectly. Sometimes the simple fact that they always fit astounded her. This Doctor didn't seem as fond of hugging or touching as his prior lives but seemed quite content to have her against him. Which was fine; she was happy to just be beside him.

"You were saying about the Gordian knot?" Rose questioned after a moment of silence. "What about it?"

"The crossing of timelines was forbidden by Time Lords as it usually creates a weak point in time," the Doctor explained. As he shifted towards the TARDIS controls, his arm wrapped around her and settled comfortably on her hip. "But as you well know your timeline is very complicated, what with you meeting me over and over in all of my bodies before you even travel with me. For a normal person, this would be dangerous due to the vulnerability it could create. In your case… thanks to the Guardians and all the times you've looked into Time and absorbed knowledge of alternate realities it makes your timeline a Gordian knot. It can't be untied, any attempt to do so would create a paradox which would alert the Guardians and as the Trickster proved any attempt to cut your timeline, as it were, creates a new alternate reality." He gestured towards her arm. "Or allows the future to bleed into the past as part of a closed loop."

"So is that good or bad?"

"Actually it protects you," the Doctor replied. "Attempts to rewrite your past create cosmic ripples that alert the Guardians that there is a problem. It keeps you safe from attempts by… future enemies to change our history together." He frowned for a moment and his eyebrows shadowed his eyes. "That's why the Silver Lord had to create that special sword to kill you." His grip on her hip tightened and Rose leaned up to kiss his jaw in silent reassurance that she was fine.

"And it means I get to meet all of you," Rose said with a smile. She didn't want to think about the Silver Lord today. "That part is nice too." She turned, placing her hands on his chest and feeling the steady beat of his hearts. "I just-" Rose cut herself off and shook her head.

The Doctor held her close and kissed her forehead gently. "I know Darling, but there are things I can't tell you now. There are things that you and I need to live through and discover together." He tilted her chin up so she was looking up at him. "Mysteries are hard to live with, but I must ask you to live with this one a little longer."

Holding back a sigh Rose nodded. She understood what he was saying even if she didn't like it. Bad Wolf. The two words had been following her for years and while Rose didn't fear them they were a message just out of her reach. They were a guide but meant far more to others than they did to her. Today had proven that there was real power in those words, but she didn't understand what or why yet. It was frustrating, but she could only nod.

"You're my wife Rose," the Doctor whispered. His Scottish bur had softened to a gentle soothing tone. "Someday you'll know everything."

"Everything is a lot," Rose said. She gave him a smile. "Besides I thought you rather liked your mysterious nature."

"I'm a bit simpler in this body," the Doctor said. He smiled slightly and nodded towards the door. "I leave a lot of the universe saving to the younger generation." Rose raised an eyebrow, doubting that statement. "Except when really bored," he amended a moment later.

"So you're just a traveller now?" Rose questioned. She couldn't help but smile at the relaxed soft smile. It wasn't a broad grin like his tenth body or a wild one like his eleventh. It was settled, content and at ease. She rather liked it on him. Even if he did play grumpy this time around.

"Traveller and a family man."

"Good life then?"

"Better with two." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "Time to get you home."

"Yeah, I've got finals waiting for me," Rose groaned. "Well if nothing else this puts that all into perspective." She smiled at the Doctor. "I should've run off with you when you first asked."

"You wouldn't be you if you'd done that," the Doctor reminded. He released her hand and gave her another small secretive smile. "And I rather like how you turned out."

"You say the most romantic things, my love," Rose said, raising an eyebrow.

The Doctor flipped a lever and raised one of his eyebrows right back at her. Rose chuckled, he was definitely better at that than she was. Then he reached out and cupped her cheek again, gently drawing her towards him. Rose didn't resist and leaned up to meet his kiss, sealing their mouths together. She sighed happily and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Regeneration or not he was still a very good kisser.

…..Next Time…

Rose headed deeper into the house, but there was still no one. Rose frowned and looked around the house carefully. It was all too quiet and still. Her mum was supposed to be here with her boyfriend ready for Rose to meet. Something about the house just felt wrong and Rose wasn't sure what it was. Stepping further down the hallway, Rose glanced into the living room. Still no sign of her Mum or Rita-Anne for that matter.


	58. Alignment: Teacups

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Alignment: Teacups

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: This is it! We are in the final stretch! This is the first part of the season two part finale! Thank you so much for all the amazing support and great reviews. Remember that if you enjoy my work I'd really appreciate you picking my original books: The Iron Soul series by J.M. Briggs. My dream really is to write full time and each book is a small step towards that goal.

….

Rose Marion Tyler was barely twenty-two years old and was finally done with university. Papers had all been turned in. Final exams were in the past and her flat in Cambridge was almost completely packed up. A sigh escaped Rose as she stacked a box on top of a small stack of taped up boxes. Her eyes moved around the empty living room and she felt a small jolt of sadness.

She's had some good times here. This flat had been her temporary home and a sanctuary for the Doctor when he'd needed it. Gone was the sofa she'd snuggled and snogged him on. The things she wanted most had already been driven down to London by Mickey, but most of it was being put into storage for Luke. She didn't need it now and he'd be started university himself soon. Still, it was strange to think that within the hour this space wouldn't be hers anymore. Both sort of sad and exciting.

A slow breath escaped her. Rose wasn't about this nervous feeling in her stomach. She'd did it. She'd gone to Cambridge and was graduating with a concurrent degree. It had been the dream for years, to prove to herself that she could. Yet she'd sort of resented it keeping her from the Doctor too. But now it was done and she could leave Earth. Nervousness knotted in her stomach. Rose had no idea how to feel. On one hand she felt better knowing that the Doctor wasn't going to resent her future knowledge and relieved to have had the chance to talk with a later incarnation about it, but on the other hand, she wasn't happy to know that they'd only be friends. It was strange knowing that she'd miss their intimacy even as by his standards they built it for the first time.

Time travel made relationships complicated. Rose accepted that when it came to the Doctor, but that didn't mean that she always liked it. Or that her eighteen-year-old self had completely emotionally understood it. Shaking her head, Rose slid the small stack of books into the cardboard box and closed up the top. It was a bit late to be getting nervous about leaving. She didn't have second thoughts of course, but she didn't like the worry taking hold.

"That's the last of it out of the bedroom," Tegan said. She walked past Rose carrying a smaller cardboard box. "You had pretty much everything already packed up."

"Seemed like a good idea," Rose said. "Thanks for coming over to help, though." She forced a smile for Tegan as the other woman dusted off her hands and taped up the box. "I appreciate it."

"No problem Rose," Tegan said. "It's nice being in town and seeing Ian and Barbara. Besides, it's been great to finally meet Liz in person." Tegan shifted the box and stepped back. "So you're giving this all to Luke?"

"Ian and Barbara said they'd store it for him." Rose glanced at the remaining boxes. "All my personal stuff is already in London so this is stuff for him to use in his place. With his lack of a belly button Sarah Jane's encouraging him to live alone."

"Has he been accepted yet?" Tegan asked.

"Not yet officially, but he's still a bit away from that stage."

"With how smart that boy is I can't imagine him not getting into Cambridge," Tegan chuckled. "Sort of scary really. I'm not sure how Sarah Jane even deals with it."

"Well, he also applied to Oxford," Rose confessed. "Really made his grandparents huff and puff. I think he just wanted the option of going there if Cambridge didn't work out." Rose smiled and shrugged. "Or he might have been enjoying the chance to aggravate his grandparents. If so good for him."

"Has Ian been giving you trouble?"

"Not officially, but in the last month, he's made a point of calling me the wrong surname. He called me Rose Taylor all through exams," Rose said.

Tegan laughed, tossing her head back and clapped her hands. "Ah, sweet revenge for when the Doctor used to get his name wrong."

"Exactly." Rose shook her head. "Honestly I think Ian's going to miss me."

"Of course he's going to miss you, honey," Tegan said. She stepped forward and hugged Rose, rubbing her arms. "We all are. We're happy for you, but we might be a bit concerned about Earth."

"Earth will be fine," Rose said quickly. "Honestly I think half of the problems that come here are because of me." She shook her head before Tegan could say anything. "And besides you lot have my mobile number which means you can call me and I'll make the Doctor bring us back to Earth."

"Good luck with that," Tegan said. "In my day he could barely steer the TARDIS."

"Yes well the TARDIS has always preferred to pilot herself where she thinks he needs to go," Rose explained. Tegan gave her a doubtful look and Rose chuckled. "You never did appreciate the TARDIS Tegan."

"That box never took us where we wanted to go!" Tegan huffed.

"To be fair you did wander on," Rose teased. "You weren't exactly invited. That might have had something to do with it."

Tegan gave her a look and shifted the small fold up dolly to stack the boxes. Rose pressed her lips together to hold back a smile. As Tegan opened the door and headed out, Rose paused and looked around. The flat was completely bare now. Somehow it affected her even more than leaving the Powell Estate had. Her eyes jumped over to where the sofa had been and her heart hurt a little. She and the Doctor had talked, flirted and snogged on that sofa. He'd come by just to see her and they'd had dinner here. Strange as it was, she was going to miss this place. Plus she never had gotten his key back.

"Rose?" Tegan called. "Lift's here. Everything alright?"

"Yeah," Rose said. She stepped out the door and pulled it closed, letting it lock behind her. "Fine."

Tegan was chatty on the lift ride down. Rose nodded in all the right places as Tegan told her about recent developments in her work and how happy her kids were to be visiting their grandfather in Sydney. As they stepped outside, Rose froze as she caught sight of a flash of white in the corner of her eye. She turned quickly, but there was nothing and no one there.

"Rose?" Tegan was standing next to her SUV with a slight frown. "You sure you're alright?"

"Sorry, yes," Rose said. She smiled and rushed over to help Tegan with the boxes. "Guess I'm a bit nervous and overwhelmed. Finally done with university."

"And leaving with the Doctor," Tegan said. Then she gave Rose a searching look. "Are you sure you'll be okay travelling with him? I know I don't have all the details, but you two aren't in synch."

"I'll be fine," Rose assured her. "I… well Ace told you about New York right?"

"A bit yeah, said it was an older Doctor."

"It was and we talked a bit about that issue." Rose hefted another box into the back of the SUV. "And we'll be fine." Rose turned and looked up at the building. "I am going to miss that flat a little. I have some good memories there."

"And I don't want to know," Tegan said quickly. "Not at all. New subject immediately."

"Honestly Tegan," Rose chuckled. "Not everything is about-"

"No," Tegan repeated. "New subject."

"Fine, I don't like this weather," Rose pouted as she looked up at the grey clouds. "Just grey, but not going to properly rain."

Tegan laughed warmly at the statement. "You British and complaining about your weather," she teased.

"It's our national pastime," Rose informed her very seriously. She looked at the sky again. "But seriously, something about it feels off." Sniffing at the air, Rose curled her nose. "And smells weird too."

"Rose your ceremony is only three days away and then you're off with the Doctor. Don't go looking for trouble."

"I still can't believe you all are coming to my graduation," Rose said, changing the subject. "You really didn't have to come all this way."

"One, of course, we had to come to your graduation, you're about to vanish to who knows where for who knows how long and two don't go changing the subject," Tegan huffed. She gave Rose a warning look but was still smiling. "Pity you have to go to London tonight. We could have had a night on the town!" Tegan's smile widened almost evilly. "Had a few rounds and played some games!"

"No! Never again," Rose shuddered. "That hangover… no, never again."

"Oh come on Rose." Tegan laughed now. "Imagine how much fun we'd all have together."

"Sorry no, I'm imagining what would happen to my liver with all of you purposely playing never have I ever against me. Just you and Ace tag teaming me in Australia damn near killed me." Rose shuddered and swayed a little on her feet. "Just thinking about it is making me ill."

"Don't be a baby," Tegan said. "Besides I'm sure we'll drag you out after the ceremony." Tegan shoved the last box into the back of Rose's SUV. "Personally I'm curious about Jo's alcohol tolerance. She's such a little thing, but some of the things she's eaten really make me wonder about her constitution."

"All I know is never go in against an Australia in a drinking contest," Rose muttered. Reaching up to closed the back door as Tegan laughed. "As fun as this memory land trip is Tegan, I do have to get to London."

"What's your Mum's hurry?" Tegan asked as they walked around to the doors.

"I'm meeting her new boyfriend," Rose said. "Robert."

"You don't sound happy about that."

"Rita-Anne doesn't like him. I haven't found anything off about him online or anything, but I trust her judgement. Honestly, I'm bit frustrated that I haven't met him before now. Something always came up when I asked Mum."

"Well let's get all this to Ian and Barbara's, then you can head to London and find out for yourself," Tegan said.

…..

Pulling up into the drive of their Bannerman Road house, Rose let out a low exhale. Nerves churned in her stomach and she went over the little she knew about this Robert. Rita-Anne didn't think much of him, but on paper, he seemed fine. There was no sign of any car, course her mum still didn't drive, but Rose would have figured Robert would have something. Climbing out of her SUV, Rose pulled her shoulder bag back on and fished out her keys.

The house on Bannerman Road's entry way had a set of hooks full of her mum's coats and scarfs. Shoes and boots lined the wall and Rose toed a pair of flats out of the way as she stepped inside. The door closed with a soft thump, but her mum didn't come rushing in.

"Mum?" Rose called. "I'm back."

Still nothing. Rose headed deeper into the house, but there was still no one. Rose frowned and looked around the house carefully. It was all too quiet and still. Her mum was supposed to be here with her boyfriend ready for Rose to meet. Something about the house just felt wrong and Rose wasn't sure what it was. Stepping further down the hallway, Rose glanced into the living room. Still no sign of her Mum or Rita-Anne for that matter.

"Mum?" she called. "Rita-Anne? Anyone home?" Rose paused and glanced back at the front door. "Okay if you thought throwing me a surprise party was a good idea I'll ask you to alert me now so I don't hit someone when they jump out at me!"

There was no answer, not even a muffled giggle or groan. She moved into the kitchen and went right for her mum's phone. Already there were three waiting messages. Rose pressed the play button and looked around the kitchen. There was a pair of tea cups on the counter next to their electric kettle and box of her mum's favourite teas. One of the tea cups had a lipstick mark that looked like her mum's shade.

The first message was from Bev just making some small talk and telling Jackie to call her. The next message was from Gita wishing Jacki best of luck with Rose meeting Robert. Rose leaned against the counter and listened to the last message eagerly, but it was only cousin Mo. No surprise she was making subtle mentions of money. With a huff, Rose turned off the message machine as the bad feeling in her pit of her stomach kept growing.

Rose headed up the stairs and went straight to her Mum's room. The familiar red painted walls of Jackie's bedroom were dotted with framed photos of Rose, her Dad, Jackie herself and friends. Her bed was unmade and her mum's vanity was covered in her various makeup and hair products. The drawers of her dresser were closed and her laundry was tucked away in the closet. Everything was normal.

"Mum?" Rose called again. She opened the other doors in the hallway, including her own and checked the toilet just in case. Still no sign of her. "Mum?"

Going back downstairs, Rose went out into the garden. Her mum's flowerbeds were already bright with flowers and her small vegetable patch already had string peas growing up one of the support sticks. There was just no sign of her mum anywhere. Frowning, Rose went back inside and headed down the hall to Rita-Anne's room. The door was closed and Rose gently tapped on the door. Rita-Anne didn't answer, but Rose thought she heard something from inside.

She eased the door open and peered inside. Rita-Anne was lying on the bed, but her breathing was rough and her CPAP machine wasn't on her face. The old woman was still in her dark green dress with her shoes still on her feet, looking as if she'd almost collapsed on the bed. Worry rushed through Rose and she rushed over to Rita-Anne. Her breathing was uneven and strained with traces of foam around her mouth. There was a teacup on her nightstand and the old woman's fingers were digging into the duvet.

Rose gasped and pulled out her phone, dialling 999. Her voice somehow stayed even as she requested an ambulance for the house. While still on the phone, Rose turned on Rita-Anne's CPAP machine and gently held the mouthpiece over the woman's face. Her breathing evened out only a little and Rose's eyes moved to the tea cup suspiciously.

Setting her phone on speaker, Rose set it down on the nightstand and picked up the tea cup. She sniffed at it, but the bitterness of the tea masked any other smells. There was a faint smudge of lipstick on one side from Rita-Anne, but nothing else. Almost on autopilot, Rose stayed on the phone and glanced around for Rita-Anne's phone. She located it on the woman's vanity and snatched it up. Rose sent a quick text to Mickey and nibbled on her lower lip.

That bad feeling was a lot worse. Her gut said that Rita-Anne had been drugged to fall asleep with her mask missing and still in her clothes. That wasn't like the Old Battle Axe. And there was still no sign of her mum. Rose's eyes narrowed and a cold shiver went down her spine as she remembered the pair of tea cups in the kitchen. One had been her Mum's, but if Rita-Anne's was in here then someone else had been here. Someone who along with her mother was not there now.


	59. Alignment: Threats

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Alignment: Threats

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

It was all Rose could do to stay at the house and remain calm. Her instincts as a daughter wared with her instincts as a friend. Mickey had called her in a rush and was meeting his Gran at the hospital. He hadn't said where he was exactly, but Rose figured he'd been at the base when the message finally came through. The ambulance had arrived fifteen minutes later while Rose had done her best to stay calm and keep the CPAP mask over Rita-Anne's face.

Now it was out of her hands. Rita-Anne was gently placed into the ambulance as the neighbours on the street gathered. Rose looked across the street to find Luke, Rani and Clyde all watching with worried expressions. Several adults were out watching the proceedings with worry, but no one panicked. As the back of the ambulance closed and took off a moment later, the trio of teenagers rushed across the street.

"Rose?" Clyde asked. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Rose answered shortly. Her temper was trying to flare and Rose nibbled at her lower lip. She looked at her phone. "I still can't reach Mum." Looking up at the three teenagers, Rose's frown deepened. "Have you three noticed anything today? Have you seen my Mum?"

"Not really anything strange," Luke replied with a shrug. "Your mum was here earlier, I saw her walking back from the market and talking on her phone."

"When was that?"

"Maybe four hours ago. It was this morning." Luke said. He glanced uncertainly at his friends. "Uh then we were headed out for ice cream and this black SUV pulled up, maybe two hours ago."

"Yeah," Rani agreed. "It was your mum's boyfriend I think. Tall, brown hair." Rani shrugged. "Nothing odd, though, he comes by a lot."

"Anything else?" Rose pressed. She hit the speed dial for her Mum again. "Did you see them leave?"

"No," Clyde answered. He shook his head and shifted between his feet, picking up on Rose's distress. "Sorry, there was nothing weird about it. They probably just went out to lunch. Lucky you came home when you did huh."

"Mum's been wanting me to meet him," Rose muttered. "So I doubt they would have just left and Mum always answers her phone." Rose bit her bottom lip and looked back towards the house.

"What else Rose?" Rani asked. She narrowed her brown eyes on Rose. "There's something more. I can tell."

Rose hesitated for a moment, but then shook her head. "There were three used tea cups in the house. One of them in Rita-Anne's room and the others in the kitchen." She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and tried to calm her worry enough to think.

"Rita-Anne is an old woman," Luke pointed out. "She might have had a stroke or something after having her tea." Her godson gave her a sympathetic look. "It doesn't mean that your Mum is in trouble Rose."

"Yeah, but that doesn't feel right to me," Rose said. "Come on Mum pick up!" She pulled the phone away from her ear and shook her head. "Give me a second, then I'm going to need Spock and K-9."

"Wait, what is going on?" Rani demanded. "What do you think happened Rose?"

Without answering her, Rose turned on her heel and went back inside. She went straight to the kitchen and found a plastic bag in the drawers. Rani, Luke and Clyde followed her inside and watched as Rose began carefully putting the cups in the bags without touching them.

"You think Rita-Anne was drugged," Rani said.

"What?" Clyde asked. "Are you serious?"

"That's my current theory," Rose said. She manoeuvred each teacup into a bag, using the plastic sides as a grip. "Spock will be able to tell me more."

Rose could tell from their expressions, but the teenagers weren't convinced. Thankfully, they didn't argue with her. Instead, Rani offered to look around the living room to see if anything jumped out at her. Luke studied the counter top and sniffed at the kettle while Clyde checked the garden again. Rose didn't expect them to find anything but was grateful for their acceptance. It didn't take her long to get the cups all sorted and she called them as she headed for the front door.

The neighbours had begun clearing out though Mrs Douglas from down the road was eyeing the house curiously. She was an older woman and a gossip as much as her Mum or Gita, but less pleasant. Rani, Clyde and Luke gave her tentative waves, but Rose outright ignored her as they crossed the street.

"Luke where's your Mum?" Rose asked. She pushed open the front door of Sarah Jane's house and glanced back at the teenage boy.

"She and Dad took Skye to meet some music teacher," he said. Luke shrugged a bit. "She wants to learn to play the piano. Mum thought it might be a nice thing for her this summer."

Despite the worry for Rita-Anne and her Mum, Rose couldn't help but smile. Then she nodded and headed up the stairs with the three teenagers rushing after her. Thankfully, she heard someone close the front door. Rose kept the bags with the tea cups tight against her chest.

"Welcome Mistress Rose," K-9 greeted as she pushed open the attic door.

"Hi K-9," Rose said. "Mister Spock I need you!"

The brick wall of the attic hissed and began to swing open. Rose moved right in front of it and tried not to fidget as Spock's systems unfolded. The Xylok's interface lit up on the large screen that served as his main display, casting a soft green glow across Rose's face. She adjusted the bags eagerly and moved up to his controls.

"Hello Rose, welcome back," Spock said. "I'm detected an elevated heart-"

"Yes Spock I'm distressed," Rose said. She tapped one of the buttons on Spock's controls and a flat panel slid out. "I need you to scan these." Rose carefully set the three teacups down and stepped back. "Chemical traces and if you can fingerprints."

"Rose your Mum probably just went shopping," Clyde said. His voice was even and reassuring, but it didn't make her feel any better. "Lucky you found Rita-Anne though."

Rose didn't reply. Her right hand came up to toy with her TARDIS key. As Spock's sensors began to sweep over the tea cups, she began to pace nervously. Rose tried to remember if she'd seen anything odd in the house, but nothing came to mind. There had been nothing unexpected, but perhaps it was odd for the tea cups to be left behind. Maybe she really was jumping at shadows.

"Try to calm down Rose," Rani said. She turned to find the girl giving her a soft smile. "Rule one: don't panic, remember."

Chuckling a bit, Rose nodded and exhaled slowly. "Sorry Rani, just…" Rose shook her head. "Something feels off. Has all day if I'm honest." Rose glanced towards the window. "Even the air felt funny to me. Maybe it is just my nerves."

"Maybe," Rani said. "But no harm in checking. Rita-Anne should be at the hospital, Mickey'll look after her and you can meet your mum's boyfriend."

"Rose," Spock said. "There are traces of sedatives on two of the tea cups."

"I'm not surprised." Rose sighed and shook her head. "But I didn't want to be right. Scan the third for fingerprints, if I'm lucky then this will be a local criminal or something."

"You think it could be that simple?" Clyde asked doubtfully.

Rose frowned, lately she'd had a feeling that someone was trailing her, but hadn't seen anyone. She didn't like the idea, but it was possible that someone had caught on to the strangeness of her life. Or worse that an enemy had decided her mum was a good target. Rose lifted her phone, preparing to call UNIT when an unfamiliar number popped up on screen. She hesitated for only a moment.

"Hello?"

"Hello Rose Tyler," a voice answered.

"Hello," Rose greeted. She told herself to stay calm. "I'm looking for Jackie. Who is this?"

"This is Robert," he replied.

"Mum's boyfriend." Rose didn't relax. "Did I miss something? I thought I was meeting you at the house."

"Ah yes well there has been a change of plans," Robert said. "Now listen to me very carefully Rose Tyler unless you want something horrible to happen to your mother."

"What is it?" Luke asked.

Rose waved her hand at him and shook her head. "Okay," she said. "I'm listening. Am I to assume that you actually work for someone?" In the corner of her eye she saw Rani straighten up.

"Indeed, but you need to listen to me," Robert said. There was a hint of smugness in his voice, but also a layer of caution. Rose snapped her fingers at Spock and pointed to her phone, hoping that he'd get the message to try and trace the call. His screen shifted and Rose focused on Robert's voice "You're going to be a good girl for the next few days, Rose. You're going to stay home and keep UNIT out of this. Your mother will be returned home in three days, just in time to see you graduate. Sound fair?"

"What's the catch?"

"The catch is that you do not interfere, no matter what happens. If you obey these instructions then your mother will be fine."

"And if I don't obey?"

"I really thought you were a more loyal daughter than that," Robert said. "Your mother expresses frustration with you to be sure, but you are each other's, only family. Surely you won't be caviler with your mother's life." Rose licked her lips, suddenly unsure of what to say. On the other end of the line, Robert chuckled. "Good girl. Just keep your head down and no one has to get hurt." Then the call ended and Rose held back a snarl of frustration.

"Did you get a trace?"

"A partial trace only," Spock replied. "Unfortunately the trace links to a payphone in Brussels. The camera feed in that area of the city is down."

"Brussels?" Rani repeated. Her surprise was obvious. "You think they already took your Mum to Brussels?"

"Maybe," Rose said. "Private plane, a couple of hours. Totally possible." Rose shook her head. "Anything else Spock?"

"On the call no, but in addition to the remains of tea two of the cups were laced with a major dose of sleeping pills," Spock said. "It is fortunate given her age that you found Rita-Anne when you did."

"Okay." Rose took a slow breath and tried to calm her racing heart. "Spock send a message to the hospital about what you found." She looked down at her phone and nibbled at her bottom lip.

"Also I have partial fingerprints from the undrugged teacup. I will attempt to find you a match."

"Good," Rose said. She felt out of breath and was painfully aware of the panic beginning to stir in her chest. Pacing across the floor, Rose was aware of the teenagers watching her as she tried to think. "Can't call UNIT… well maybe Alistair, but if there are any leaks then…"

"Who do you think took her?"

"Probably Eclipse," Rose muttered. She was growing more agitated as she watched Spock run the partial prints through a dozen national systems. So far no luck. "They're some of my only enemies still mucking about. The Silver Lord is imprisoned with the Guardians, Apep and Thane are dead and the Trickster… well, I suppose it could be him, but this seems very human."

"You know your life is sorta scary," Clyde said. She looked over to find all three of them staring at her. "Brilliant, but scary."

"Isn't that Harry Potter?" Luke asked. He frowned and looked at Clyde.

"Possibly," Clyde agreed after a moment of thought.

"Anyway, now what?" Rani asked. "Rose?"

"I need something from Spock," Rose answered. "I'm not sure where to start looking."

"You should call UNIT," Clyde said. "They can help if you're right."

"I'd be watching the house," Rose said. "Until I know who I'm dealing with I want to be careful." She turned and looked straight at Luke. "So no talking about this with your Mum over the phone." Rose shook her head. "Come on Spock, I need something." She pulled out her phone and eyed it thoughtfully before shaking her head and moving her thumb to the speed dial.

"Rose it is going to take some time," Spock said gently. "May I suggest you return home. I will contact you when I have something." Rose hated that answer and frowned. "If they are watching your home then surely it is better to be at least seen there for the time being."

"Fine fine," Rose grumbled. She shook her head and glanced at Luke. Her godson offered her a soft smile and a nod. Sighing, Rose headed for the door. "Fine, you win."

Heading downstairs, Rose slipped her phone into her pocket and stepped outside. She paused and sniffed at the air. Something about it still smelled off and she looked up. The dark clouds were still churning, but she couldn't detect even a hint of rain. Rose headed across the street, still toying with the phone in her pocket and formulating what she could tell the Doctor. They didn't know much yet, but maybe the TARDIS would be able to pick something up.

She was to her drive when an SUV pulled up right next to her. Rose frowned as she turned slowly to face it. Two large men climbed out, dressed all in black and smirking at her. Rose merely raised an eyebrow and waited.

"Miss Tyler, our boss was worried that you might not take your warning seriously," goon one said. He looked too amused for Rose's taste.

"You are aware that UNIT keeps an eye on this street," Rose said.

"Not 24/7," goon two said. "We've got plenty of time to talk." He cracked his knuckles. "Now remember Princess, stay out of this and your mum stays safe."

"Where is my mum?" Rose asked.

"Don't ask questions," goon one said. Then he smiled. "That was you last verbal warning missy."

Suddenly the goon grabbed her right arm and pulled sharply. Rose stumbled but lashed out a leg to kick him. The second man punched her and Rose twisted to avoid the blow. Her phone slipped out of her pocket and hit the ground with a crack. She glanced towards her, moving to rescue it before anything else happened, but a goon smashed his foot down on it. Regret for not calling the Doctor faster and pure anger fought for dominance with anger winning. Slamming her own fist forward, Rose hit one of the goons in the nose with a satisfying crack.

Spinning around, Rose kicked the second goon in the chest. He stumbled back into their face, hitting his back with a grunt. Shouts from across the street alerted Rose that the kids were coming. She wanted to shout a warning but had to duck a wild right hook from goon two. A laser beam struck on of the goons in the back and Rose watched in surprise as the beam was spread across some sort of armour. The goon stumbled and turned around in shock as K-9 rolled across the street with Luke, Clyde and Rani right behind him. Rose tried to grab the goon, but this time he jumped back as his partner was already climbing into the SUV. K-9 released another beam, but the goon evaded it. The SUV roared to life and Rani had to jump out of the way to avoid it as they sped off.

"Thanks, K-9," Rose said. She glared at the SUV, wishing she'd been able to capture one of them. Then again Eclipse did so like suicide tablet and she didn't have the means to remove one by herself. And she didn't need a bed body in her mum's drive. "Something has them worried."

"Yeah looks like they didn't think their phone warning would be enough," Rani said. She frowned and looked after the SUV. "Why would they send two messages?"

Rose groaned slightly and carefully rolled her shoulder. She could already feel a bruise forming. "I'm not sure," she said. "It is odd. I hope we're not dealing with two groups or factions or any nonsense like that." Kneeling down she touched the superphone and grimaced as the poor thing fell into multiple pieces. "Well there goes my contact with the Doctor."

"You know when you start travelling with him, you should really look into something unbreakable," Clyde said.

"There's no such thing as unbreakable," Rose sighed. "But I'll deal with a new superphone later."

The bad smell in the air suddenly increased, gaining a sharp earthy tang that was all wrong. A shiver went up Rose's spine and she saw the teens all shudder. Rose looked up and her eyes widened in surprise. "What the-"

Overhead the dark clouds began to change and the street darkened. The clouds faded revealing the sun, but the whole sky was too dark. Automatic lights began switching on and Rose looked up in alarm. The dark clouds had stopped swirling, there was a bitter taste in the air and the sun was dimming. It wasn't even necessary to shield her eyes as the sun took on a dark reddish hue. She shivered as the temperature began to drop.

"What is it?" Rani demanded.

"It's alien whatever it is," Clyde said darkly.

"Some sort of reaction in the air," Luke said. "It's making some sort of… film."

"Why is it so cold?" Rani asked.

"The sun is being blocked out," Rose answered.

Then just as quickly as it had started the odd colouring in the sky began to break apart. Clouds formed once again and even as they hid the sun the temperature shot back up. Shuddering, Rose was frozen in place for a moment, still staring up at the spot where she'd seen the sun. Around them, the lights in the street switched off and she could distantly hear sounds of panic.

"Rose?" Clyde asked. "Do you know what that was?"

"No," Rose said at first. Then she shook her head. "Yes, it was an eclipse. An artificial one." Rose swallowed and her grip around her phone tightened. "Three days they want me to lay low. I'd say we just saw the first test."

"Of what exactly?" Rani asked.

"That's what I need to find out." Rose spun on her heel and dashed back to the door of Sarah Jane's house. She was halfway up the stairs before the teenagers even got back inside. "Spock!"

"I have no explanation for what occurred, but a shield of some kind effectively isolated Earth from the sun by 25%."

"All of Earth?"

"Indeed, the effect was not localised."

"So it was an eclipse," Rose said. Her mouth dropped into a dark frown. "An artificial one, but all across the globe."

"Yes the temperature locally dropped two degrees," Spock said. "With no radiant heat coming from the sun. However, I noted that heat still seemed to be escaping."

"So it's some kind of shield, but not a complete bubble. The Earth wasn't completely closed off."

"Yes, but the energy field K-9 detected was far too low for a simple force field," Spock replied. "Rose… I am uncertain what you just witnessed."

That statement, even more than the knowledge that her mum had been taken and Rita-Anne could have died thanks to being drugged worried Rose. It wasn't often that Spock was stumped. It seemed that Eclipse was finally making a move and it was a big one.


	60. Alignment: Enemy Territory

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty: Alignment: Enemy Territory

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

"Spock," Rose said slowly. She inhaled deeply to keep the panic trying to grow at bay. "In your estimation was it terrestrial based?" Rose sternly reminded herself that rule one was don't panic, no matter what the Doctor might say.

"Yes, though the technology is alien."

"And we don't think it's Torchwood?" Rose asked. So soon after getting into trouble over the Qreiz'elt, Rose didn't think Hartman would risk something like this.

"I'm keeping an eye on UNIT, Torchwood and Section 13 systems," Spock informed her. "None of them seem to know what is going on."

"Lovely," Rose groaned. "Eclipse it is then."

"Isn't there anyone else you can call for help?" Clyde asked. "What about the Durminos, they like you right?"

"Yes, but…" Rose trailed off and rubbed her bracelet. "I'm not sure Clyde. This is being caused by humans, bringing another alien society into things may make it worse or draw the attention of the Shadow Proclamation."

"And that's bad?" Rani asked.

"They may decide to change our status," Rose replied. "Humans using this level of tech may lose us our protective status. While it doesn't always stop the invasions, it does dissuade a lot of other species from coming after us." Rose licked at her lower lip. "Spock send a message, but advise them that we don't know much yet. Ask them to stay back, but potentially be ready."

"As you wish," Spock said. "I'll establish communications and keep them informed as the situation changes."

"So what are we thinking?" Rani asked. "They can do that but why?"

"Hold the world hostage," Clyde said. They all turned to look at him and he shrugged. "Well I mean Spock said there was a temperature change from that thing being up for only a few seconds, what would happen if it was up for an hour or even more."

"A new ice age," Spock answered calmly. "It would cause rapid loss of life and crops. Solar plants would be rendered largely useless and much of the vegetation would die."

"So something very bad unless you have underground bunkers," Clyde said. "Again hold the world hostage."

"I hate to say it, but he may be right," Rani said.

"It would be a high effective way to control the population," Luke added. "And you said that control and taking over governments is part of how Eclipse works."

"Yeah, it is." Rose sighed and nodded to herself. "So the fate of the world."

"And they've got your mum," Luke said softly.

"I know!" Rose shouted. Snapping her mouth shut she took a long slow breath. "I know Luke and that has me worried, but…" She paused and shook her head. "Last time Eclipse came out in force they tried to kill me. I learned earlier this year that they have an execution order out on me." Rose licked her lips as an ugly thought began to form.

"You don't think they'll actually let you live, do you?" Clyde said with something like horror in his voice. "Those men…"

"May have actually been sent to kill me," Rose agreed. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "If I was close to world domination and knew that there was someone that could potentially stop me I probably wouldn't suffer them to live."

"What about UNIT?"

"UNIT is connected to the United Nations," Rose said. "And while they've been investigating the breach that happened with the Qreiz'elt there's a limit to what they know about Eclipse." Rose chuckled and gestured out the window. "And while Eclipse doesn't want me working with UNIT on this there is no way that UNIT isn't already all over this." She sighed and fingered the broken parts of her phone in his pocket. "If my phone was working I'd be guessing that they'd be calling."

"Rose," Spock called. "I believe I have a match on the fingerprints."

"Yeah?" Rose felt herself smiling a little bit. She needed something to help lift her spirits. Her mind kept jumping between worry for her mum. "What have you found?"

"Charles Turner," Spock said. The screen changed bringing up a rather grainy photo of a tall man with dark brown hair and sharp green eyes.

"That's Robert," Rani said. She gestured to the screen. "That's definitely the bloke your mum has been seeing."

"He is rather difficult to pin down," Spock said. "He is a former Royal Marine."

"Really?" Rose asked, curling her nose a bit. "What else?"

"There is little information about him. He was given an honourable discharge ten years ago. There are no records of him working since then. I do have two addresses for him: one for his identity as Robert and the other is in central London."

"What do you think?" Rani asked. "Probably wouldn't be anything at his identity flat, your mum has gone there."

"Rani…" Rose shook her head and sighed. "I don't need to hear about my mum going to the flat of a man who apparently was part of a plot against me."

"Right," Rani said. She grimaced as did the boys. "Sorry."

"That is something I never wanted Mum to go through," Rose said softly, almost more to herself than anyone else. "Using love against a person is horrible."

The memory of the Silver Lord living as Richard Beckett hit Rose suddenly. She shivered and did her best to push the memories away. The soft whispers of other lives helped drown it out and she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Well at least take my phone then," Clyde said. He stepped forward and handed the mobile phone to Rose. "That way we can let you know what Spock's find." Clyde tried to smile but didn't quiet manage it. "I know better than to think you'll let us go with you."

"No, you're right on that front." Rose stepped forward and hugged Clyde. "Thanks and look after each other." She stepped back from Clyde and looked at Luke. "Your mum should be home soon. Tell her what happened and for god's sake be careful, all of you. After my mum, you'll probably be the next targets." Rose looked down at K-9 and reached out to pat the metal dog. "Stay close to them K-9 and protect them."

"Affirmative Mistress."

Rose paused, it was the first time that K-9 had just called her Mistress. Sarah Jane was his primary responsibility now, but the metal dog still had programming from the Doctor. She wondered if that was his little way of wishing her well. Either way, Rose smiled and patted him again before hugging Luke.

"Spock, link up with Malcolm or Kate, only them though just in case. Help them however you can. I'll try to stay in touch."

"Be careful Rose," Spock said. "Last time you encountered Eclipse-"

"I remember," Rose replied. Holding back a shudder, she took a step towards the attic door. "Trust me I remember, but no matter what they may say they're not going to leave me alive."

…

Rose didn't take her own vehicle. She didn't trust it. Instead, she put on a hoodie and slipped out over Sarah Jane's back fence. Thankfully the neighbour didn't have a dog and walked in the shadows as much as she could for almost a mile. When she reached a decent side street she got on a bus into the main city. Everyone was talking in low voices about the strange change in the sky. Rose saw one woman holding her son tightly on her lap. She gave them a smile and assured them that it would be okay, but the words didn't help much.

When she was in central London, Rose left the bus. There were too many worried people on board, too many people remembering the last alien attack and trying to decide if they needed to keep living their lives or run for it. She hailed one of the cabs still making rounds. All the while, Rose nervously chewed at her bottom lip and worried.

The cab dropped her off at the corner by a small market. Rose handed the driver some bills without paying any attention and got an energetic 'thanks, love' before they drove off. Hesitation wasn't something Rose was used to. Over the years she'd become a creature of instinct. Sure she valued a good plan and knowledge, but when it came down to it she trusted her gut. Now she couldn't help but feel weak in the knees. These people had her Mum and had warned her to stay out of it. She looked down at the note on the address. Her shoulder ached, a stark reminder of being attacked on a street in the middle of the day.

Yet her phone was damaged and she couldn't call the Doctor. That odd shield thing had impacted the environment and Eclipse's name suddenly made far too much sense. She'd never given it much thought, but clearly, they had. On one hand they were clearly moving forward with some sort of terrible plot using alien technology, but on the other hand, it was her mum. Back to the indecision. Rose brushed a hand over her bracelet nervously.

Still, she went around the back of the building and vaulted up from a bin to grab the fire escape ladder. No one looked out at the noise and she climbed as quietly and carefully as she could manage. In the distance, she could hear cars and the sounds of life, but the building seemed too quiet. Rose found the right window, double checking the floor three times before using her sword to slice through the bottom of the sill. There was a slight crunk and slick metallic sound as the lock was destroyed and Rose quickly pushed open the window.

No one came running to the window and she climbed in. Rose closed it behind her and pulled the drapes closed. She was in a fairly boring living room. There were an old sofa, a small telly and a table. It was clear that there was no real effort invested into this place. On the table were several files and Rose could see the corner of a photograph. For the moment she ignored it and eased her way through the flat to check it out. Otherwise, everything was clean even if there wasn't much of it.

The kitchen was well stocked, but only with dry goods and canned milk. There were a few pots and pans, but it was obvious that Charles Turner didn't spend too much time here. Or he'd moved almost everything out to his Robert flat when Eclipse assigned him. Rose had to force herself into the bedroom and bathroom. There was a bit more here, but she returned to the table in the living room first.

There were three files. The first was on her with photos of her in London and a couple from Cambridge that Rose wasn't sure how they'd gotten. She shuddered as she vaguely remembered the sense of someone following her a few times. One photo was from her at the gym and was far closer than Rose liked. Thankfully there was nothing from inside her old flat.

The second file was on the Chesterton-Smiths and only made Rose angrier. There were snapshots of Luke at school with Clyde and Rani, laughing at a cafeteria table. There was a photo of Sarah Jane at a press conference, Johnny at a presentation and a photo of Sky on the swing in the park near Bannerman Road. In the file were notes of Sarah Jane's connection to UNIT and that she should be avoided during the 'operation."

But the last file was the worst. It had numerous photos of her mum. There were a couple of her in the garden at their home, one of her in Gita's flower shop and one at the grocery store. Worst of all was the list of her likes and dislikes, information on her old boyfriends and shopping habits. Everything a man might need to make himself the perfect suitor. Lastly, there was information on Rita-Anne including information on her worsening sight, medical information and habits and a summary of Mickey including instructions to avoid him.

It all made Rose want to scream, but she had to stay quiet. If this was here and left in the open then maybe there would be more hidden away in this flat. That was what she needed now. A sound at the front door made Rose gasp softly. Freezing in place, Rose kept absolutely still. Guilt and regret hit her hard in the chest. She was going to be caught, they were going to call their bosses and they were going to hurt her mother.

Rose's pulse was so loud in her ears that she almost missed the familiar whirl of the sonic screwdriver. Frozen in place for a different reason, she watched the door open and the Doctor duck inside. It was the one due to pick her up in three days. His leather coat hung over his shoulders and shifted only slightly as he eased the door shut, not even noticing her. As he turned around, his eyes widened in surprise and then he grinned.

"For the record," Rose forced out. "I was here first."

Then before he could say anything, Rose jumped forward. Rose hugged the Doctor tightly, her fingers digging into the soft leather covering his shoulders. Part of her knew that she should let go, reminded her that they weren't like that yet, but she just needed a moment. Thankfully the Doctor brought his arms up and gently held her. It was a bit awkward, he seemed uneasy, but Rose was grateful that he allowed her this.

"Sorry," Rose said. She forced herself to release her death grip on the Doctor. Stepping back she gave him a sad little smile. "Things have gotten weird."

"I should have guessed that you'd get yourself messed up in this," the Doctor said. He stepped back a bit and crossed his arms over his chest. Rose saw something flicker in his eyes. "You alright Rose?"

"You're three days early," Rose said. She held back a laugh, afraid that she might just start crying or something. It was a lot harder than usual to stay calm knowing that the bad guys had her Mum.

"TARDIS brought me to Earth, I was a bit early, but then the sky went dark," the Doctor said. He shrugged a bit but was watching her like he expected her to be angry. "Figured it'd keep me busy until you were ready to go."

"Yeah, but thing is that this is Eclipse."

"I guessed," the Doctor said. His voice was tighter with a hint of anger and darkness. "Apparently the name had significance."

"Apparently," Rose agreed. "And they've got my Mum."

"Your Mum?" the Doctor repeated. He narrowed his eyes. "You sure?"

"Very." Rose shook her head sadly. "My mum's been seeing this bloke. I was supposed to meet him tonight, but when I came home she was gone and her teacup had traces of drugs." Rose gestured around them. "He called me, apparently from a payphone in Brussels, but his fingerprints led me here. I thought I should check it out."

"They called you?"

"Yeah, told me to stay out of it and then the sky went dark." Rose paused and looked back at the Doctor. "What brought you here?"

"I was tracking a signal," the Doctor answered. He narrowed his eyes and looked around. "Saw the sky darken and followed it here."

"It was all across the globe," Rose protested. "You think the cause is here?" She looked around the flat uncertainly.

"No, but something else," the Doctor said. "Some sort of transport beam that was used just before the shield was created. Possibly how he got from London to Brussels."

"Then he might have brought my mum here!"

"Possible," the Doctor agreed.

"Can we follow it?" Rose asked urgently.

"Yeah," the Doctor said. He reached down and took her hand, squeezing it gently. "But let's take a look around this place first. I have a hunch about what we'll find."

"I haven't searched much of the bedroom yet," Rose offered.

The Doctor nodded, but his eyes were drawn to the files on the table. Grimacing, Rose said nothing as he crossed the room. She'd learned with the Dalek that nothing made him more curious than Rose not wanting him to look at something. Instead, she walked over next to him and watched as his eyes darkened as he flipped through the photos of her, her mum and Sarah Jane.

"Anything else Rose?" the Doctor asked. All humour in his voice was gone.

"It's Eclipse," Rose said. "They sent a car to Bannerman Road. They said it was another warning, but I think they were there to kill me. K-9 shot one of them and they ran. I told the kids to stay inside with K-9."

The Doctor nodded, his own eyes filled with worry that Rose knew reflected her own. He moved past her and entered the bedroom alone while Rose opened the small utility closet to check it out. There were a few coats on a rack by the door and a hot water heater, but nothing else. A throaty near groan from the bedroom made Rose's heart stop and she dashed inside, afraid of finding an injured Doctor.

Instead, he was standing in front of an open closet with a look of pained disbelief on his face. Rose stepped around to join him and sighed. The closet had no clothing and instead was filled with a large panel of shimmering lights. There was a small pad, barely large enough for two people tucked amongst the controls. Rose sniffed at the air, the scent hanging around them tugging at her memory.

"Transport pad," the Doctor said. He pulled out the sonic and stepped forward. "Just give me a tic to isolate the trail pattern."

"Then we can follow it right?" Rose asked, hoping it wasn't too dissimilar from UNIT's old transmat.

"Exactly."

The sonic screwdriver whirled and Rose stayed silent. Suddenly she didn't trust herself to speak. Hope, guilt and a worry were all battling for dominance and all she wanted was her mum safe at home. It was terrifying. Then the Doctor turned and looked at her. His eyes softened a bit and he offered her his hand.

"Got it," he said.

Rose nodded and took his hand, silently thanking him for being here. Never letting go of her hand, the Doctor led her out of the flat, down the back stairs of the building and out an alley door. They were both silent and Rose struggled a bit to keep up with his long strides, but soon found a good rhythm. Around two corners and down another side street, Rose spotted the TARDIS tucked away in a corner. Rose pulled the chain with her key out from under her shirt and unlocked the door quickly. The Doctor stepped ahead of her and rushed to the console.

Closing the door, Rose licked her lips nervously and waited. The Doctor set the small piece of the machine down on the console and hit several buttons. The screen changed with the circular Gallifreyan marks running across it.

"Got it!" the Doctor announced. "Clear trace to just outside of Brussels. They definitely used that transmat up there recently." The Doctor turned to look at her as Rose joined him at the console. "What do you say we find your mother and save the world."

"I really like that plan," Rose agreed. She finally managed to give him a real smile as the knot in her gut eased. Together she and the Doctor could do this.

He grinned manically at her and flipped a lever. Around them, the TARDIS shuddered and then they were off. Rose tried to smile in return, but she couldn't help but worry about her Mum. Crossing her fingers, Rose willed the TARDIS as close to Jackie Tyler as they could get.


	61. Alignment: Jackie Tyler

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty-One: Alignment: Jackie Tyler

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: To update all of you: The Blonde Girl and Defender of Earth have just finished a new round of editing and clean up. Huge thanks to Natsumi who has been editing the stories for me. So update any downloaded copies of the stories that you have.

….

The TARDIS shuddered around them. Rose gripped the console and told herself to breathe. Nervousness warred with excitement. She and the Doctor were together and she knew that Eclipse didn't stand a chance. Still, there was fear that she hadn't felt since that Slitheen had attacked her mother. Jack had stepped in to protect her that time, but this time… Timelines she decided. It had to be. This was just one more event that Jack knew had to happen.

"We're here," the Doctor said. "Near where the trail cut off."

Blinking, Rose looked at the Doctor in near surprise. His voice was calm, even and almost gentle. He was at the screen and looked over at her expectantly. Nodding, Rose hurried over to his side and looked at the console screen. They were in some sort of storage room judging from the shelves around the TARDIS.

"Nice landing," she complimented. "What do you think?"

"We need to find your mum," the Doctor said. His tone was still even, but anger was creeping in. "Can't leave them a hostage. Hopefully, we'll learn more about what they are up to." He stepped away from the screen towards the door.

"Just be careful, yeah?" Rose gripped his arm and licked her lips nervously. "This may be a trap for you as well. They captured you once before."

"I remember," the Doctor said. His tone was low and dangerous, but somehow it eased Rose to know how seriously he was taking this. The Doctor pulled his arm away from her and took her hand. "Come on."

They stepped out into the storage cupboard that barely fit the TARDIS. There was just enough space for the Doctor and Rose to squeeze around to the door. Rose's foot almost tipped over a broom and she found the light switch. In the pale glow, she looked out and made mental note of things that could be useful.

"Could make Nitro-9," Rose said softly.

"Let's hold off on channelling Ace just yet," the Doctor replied. His lips twitched into a smile. He put an ear to the door and waited. Then he nodded and gently turned the knob, pushing it open.

The base was large. Rose could tell from the sheer size of the corridor which stretched out before them for several feet in either direction. Artificial lights hung overhead in heavy looking metal frames. The air was sterile and she could hear a faint hiss from vents in the walls. Looking both ways down the corridor, Rose nervously searched for cameras or guards, but nothing was apparent.

"Bit empty," the Doctor said. He actually sounded a touch disapproving. "Strange."

"Maybe we're deep inside," Rose suggested. "Past the guard stations." She looked around again. "Any idea on where they might be keeping her?"

The Doctor pulled out the sonic screwdriver and made a small adjustment. The hum of the device changed slightly and she looked at Rose. "Teleport trail goes that way," he gestured to the right.

"But would the cells be right there?" Rose asked. She wasn't expecting an answer and looked around, hoping for some flash of insight.

"Where are you bloody sods!" the voice of Jackie Tyler weakly echoed down the corridor from the left. "You'd better tell me what is going on and I mean right now!"

"I'm going to say that way," Rose said. She fought back a relieved smile. "Never been so happy to hear my mum shouting."

"Pair of lungs of her," the Doctor remarked. He sounded a touch worried or maybe impressed.

"Yeah, about time they were useful," Rose said.

Smiling, she grabbed the Doctor's hand again and led him down the corridor, following the sounds of her mum cursing. She kept her eyes open for guards, but there were none. Suspicion churned in Rose's gut as they came to a heavy electrical door with a control panel next to it. The Doctor released her hand and stepped forward with the sonic screwdriver. The control panel beeped and the door slid open revealing a large square room with a table in the centre and heavy doors lining the walls. There were cameras scattered all through the room and Rose grimaced, reaching for her sonic pen.

The two guards at the table looked up in alarm. Behind her, Rose heard the sonic screwdriver and hoped he was dealing the cameras because she didn't have time. Jumping forward, Rose formed a fist and hit the first guard right in the fleshy area above his liver as he stood up. He stumbled back, gasping for air and clutching his stomach. Rose delivered a sharp blow to his temple, sending him slumping to the ground. The second guard reached for a radio only to the Doctor to grab his arm. Rose raced around the table as the Doctor wrestled the radio away from him. Wrapping an arm around the guard's neck, she carefully applied pressure. He tried to throw her off, but the Doctor kept a tight grip on him. After a few moments, he swayed on his feet and Rose eased her grip. With the Doctor's help, she lowered him into a chair.

Breathing out, Rose ignored her mum's voice demanding to know what the noise was about to check the pulses of both men. She relaxed a little and smiled at the Doctor. He visibly relaxed at the confirmation that they were just unconscious.

"You're very good at that," the Doctor said.

"Well UNIT did train me well and I insisted on knowing how to do unfatal damage," Rose said. She shook her head. "I just wish the human body wasn't so fragile. It always scares me a little."

"What is happening out there!" Jackie's voice shouted from a nearby door.

"Mum! I'm here," Rose called back. She rushed to the door.

"Rose?" her mum asked. Rose opened the small viewing window in the front of the door and sighed in relief as her mum's face came into view. "Sweetheart! What is going on here?!"

"Just a tic mum," Rose said. "We'll get you out and be quiet."

"Deadlock sealed," the Doctor said a moment later. "They shouldn't have this technology." He looked around the room and frowned. "No controls here, they must have a central control for the prison someplace else."

"They've got a lot of tech they shouldn't have," Rose growled. "Mum back away from the door."

"Rose what-"

"Not now Mum, just get away from the door."

Rose gave her mum a moment to comply and then summoned her sword. She eyed the metal door thoughtfully and was a touch worried before she jabbed the sword forward. There was a moment of resistance and a shudder went through Rose's arms, but the blade sank through the door. On the other side her heard her mum gasp. With a grunt, Rose pulled the sword down and began cutting a hole around the locking system.

It took another go around to get all the way through. Rose shoved the door open and it swung slowly, leaving the locked section fastened in place. Stepping into the cell, Rose blinked in surprise. It was a larger room with a loo visible through a small doorway. There was a large bed-like sofa with pillows, a table with some food and bottles of water and a telly.

"About time!" Jackie huffed. She was in a pink tracksuit, her blonde hair up in a messy bun and a scowl on her face.

"Mum!" Rose jumped forward and hugged her mum. "You alright?"

"Yes I'm fine," Jackie said. Her irritation was clear, but she hugged Rose just as tightly. "Now what is going on?"

"You were drugged Mum," Rose explained. She released her mum and got a look.

"Yes, sweetheart I noticed that," Jackie said drily. "Felt it starting and asked Richard about it." Jackie's eyes narrowed. "He had the nerve to laugh at me. Got him good once with the frying pan before I went down."

Rose was a bit impressed and it spared her from having to tell her mum that her boyfriend had just been using her. Then she noticed that her mum's eyes were a touch red and her makeup had been partially washed off. Still, Jackie was uninjured.

"I'm sorry Mum," Rose said softly. "But we're here to get you out."

Jackie made a small noise and looked at the Doctor who was lingering I the doorway. "Who is he then? One of those UNIT soldiers?"

"No," Rose said quickly. She took her Mum's hand and pulled her towards the doorway. "He's a friend of mine. Come on, we need to get moving."

"Who is he then?"

"This is the Doctor," Rose said quickly. Her mum's eyes narrowed, but Rose knew they didn't have time. "Just come on and stay quiet. I'll fill you in later."

"Rose Marion-"

"Do not middle name me," Rose said sharply. "There isn't time Mum. We need to get you out of hostage territory."

Jackie huffed and her eyes moved to the Doctor, glaring at his back. "Fine." Then her mum all but stomped out of the cell, then stopped and dashed back in to grab a bottle of fancy water from the table. When she got back she raised her chin and ignored Rose's knowing look. "Fine then." She looked down at the guards. "What ya' gonna do with them then?"

"Uh, lock them up," Rose suggested. She tried to grimace at her own sudden uneasiness. Having her mum here was really throwing her off.

"Can't open any of the doors without cutting them open," the Doctor said. "So it wouldn't do much good."

"Lovely," Rose sighed. "Well let's go then."

The Doctor looked at her and his hand twitched slightly. Rose wanted to reach out and take it, but her mum quickly stomped up to her side. Giving the Doctor a sad smile, Rose held back another sigh. He nodded and led the way back out.

"So how we leaving then?" Jackie asked softly. "Some sort of getaway car?"

"Not exactly," Rose answered. "Besides, we should probably try to get some information. Doctor, do you think this is the main base?"

"Not sure," the Doctor answered. "I was able to trace the teleport, but whatever they're using for the shielding around Earth is a more dispersed signal."

"I didn't ask, any thoughts on what they're doing?"

"A few," the Doctor answered. They were tracing their steps back towards the TARDIS when the Doctor made a sound of excitement and pointed to a side corridor. "This way. I need a computer terminal or something. We need to find out just what this lot is up to."

Rose nodded in agreement and grabbed her mum's hand, tugging her after them. Overhead in a corner she spotted a strange little light and realised with a groan that it was a camera. She pulled out her sonic pen and quickly looped the camera, but she wasn't sure if it was too late.

"Doctor, we may have company coming."

He nodded his understanding but didn't change course. The Doctor's long strides made her mother grumble but kept close to Rose as they headed down the large corridor. Up ahead was an open doorway leading into another room. They slowed as they approached it and Rose held her breath. Peering inside they found a small control station that was empty. There was a computer on a desk and an odd looking touchscreen built into the wall.

"Here we go," the Doctor said cheerfully. He skipped the computer and went straight to the touchscreen, running the sonic screwdriver down the side of it.

"So this is what it's like," Jackie muttered. "Sneaking around and sabotaging everything."

"Would you prefer to back to your cell while we sort this out Mum?" Rose asked sarcastically. In truth, she found the idea a little too tempting. A daycare to check her mum in while she and Doctor saved the world would be fantastic right now. "It can be arranged."

"That cell wasn't so bad," Jackie all but growled. Then her eyes went back to the Doctor and she frowned darkly. "So this is all your fault."

"Mum!" Rose turned back to her mother trying very hard to keep her own temper in check. The last thing they needed was two furious Tyler women running around the complex. Taking a slow breath, Rose relaxed her shoulders and tried to speak calmly. "This is not the time. We just rescued you from being imprisoned by a group of very dangerous people with a lot of nasty technology who are basically Bond villains wanting to take over the world. Let's focus on that."

"You're avoiding my question," Jackie said. She eyed Rose for a moment before as she looked back at the Doctor. "This is all his fault isn't it?" she questioned with a nod his way.

"No it's my fault," Rose insisted. "I've made them mad too many times. Eclipse has had a kill order on me for a while apparently." She saw both her Mum and the Doctor tense at that statement.

"But that's ultimately his fault," Jackie all but growled as she glared at the Doctor. "He's the one who got you involved with aliens in the first place."

"Again no, that is not true," Rose said. But her mother was moving towards the Doctor with a fierce expression. "Mum I told you, the kids were taken by an alien when I was a kid. I was a target too and he helped me."

Before Rose could do anything, Jackie was next to the Doctor, glaring at him even as he worked at the touch screen. "Who are you anyway?" Jackie demanded.

"I'm the Doctor," he told her with impatience creeping into his voice.

"I'm asking for your name!" Jackie gave him a warning look. "You bloody alien!"

"I'm just the Doctor." He made the mistake of turning to look at her mum.

"Is that right? Then stitch this, mate," Jackie snapped. Then she slapped the Doctor so hard he stumbled back and the sound echoed in the corridor. "That's for dragging my little girl into your mad world."

"Mum!" Rose growled as she grabbed her mother's hands and forced Jackie to look at her. "Don't do that again," Rose warned her with a sharp look that made Jackie gap a bit in response. "This is not on him and I happen to like my life thank you very much. Now reign in your temper because right now the world is in danger and needs saving. Do what I or the Doctor tell you to do when we tell you to do it."

"Fine!" Jackie snapped. "Blimey you're a bit bossy aren't you."

"Mum…" Rose tried to organise her thoughts, tried to think of some way to reassure her mum and explain how worried she'd been. Yet all that wanted to come together was her frustration. "Just… don't, not now."

"Fine," Jackie repeated. She shrugged a little and gave Rose and expectant look. "Save the world then!"

Holding back a sigh, maybe a scream Rose moved over to the second computer. She glanced at the Doctor who rubbed his cheek, but was already looking back at the wall touchscreen. Rose eyed the computer with a sneer. She wasn't sure that she trusted it being here at the security desk unguarded, but with Eclipse moving forward with their plans maybe they'd had to pull some of their staff. That was a weird idea, there really were people who were henchmen of evil organisations. There were times her life was like a poorly scripted show. Sitting down at the desk, Rose took out her sonic pen and began to fish around in her bag for a certain flash drive. She glanced at the Doctor who was at the wall touchscreen. His fingers were brushing over it at rapid speed.

"Anything?"

"Not yet," the Doctor said. He made a thoughtful sounding grumble that almost made Rose smile. Rose sighed as he glanced toward her mum who was waiting near the doorway. "Almost pity the bloke she hit with the frying pan. With her swing that had to hurt."

Grimacing, Rose held back a groan. She'd been dreading her mum meeting the Doctor, but clearly not enough. "I am so sorry," Rose sighed as she rubbed at her eyes. "About my Mum I mean. She's never taken the whole alien thing well. I mean she's getting a bit better, but she hates it and makes no secret of it."

"Are you sure you weren't adopted?" the Doctor muttered as he glanced back at Jackie. "I'm not seeing any similarities."

He rubbed his cheek again and muttered something under his breath that Rose was certain wasn't flattering to her mother. She almost laughed at the realization that someday her Mum would be the Doctor's mother-in-law. And wasn't that a crazy notion. Course his next incarnation at least sounded a bit fonder of her, enough to check in on her while she was gone at least. That was something. After this she wouldn't have blamed him for distance as much as she loved her Mum.

"Well you've never seen me really mad yet," Rose chuckled and the Doctor gave her teasing look. "But for the most part I take after my father," Rose answered softly even as she smiled. Then she looked over her mum and sighed a bit. "But there are things I get from her too so consider yourself warned." The Doctor looked up at her from the panel. "Still want me to come with you?"

There was a moment of silence. Something in his eyes shifted, almost pained and desperate all at once. Rose almost gasped. She recognized that look, she'd seen it whenever his next incarnation came to see her after a bad day. Rose's whole body tensed.

"Can't leave you on Earth," the Doctor finally said. He swallowed, but then forced a manic smile. "You're not safe here, attract too much trouble."

Rose opened her mouth to say something when the sound of marching drew their attention. She tensed up and her mother made a sound of alarm. Coming around the corner were three rows of humanoid figures dressed all in black walking three by three in perfect unison. They were carrying what looked like electrified batons. Rose looked around the small office frantically, but there was no other way out.

…Coming Soon: Total Eclipse….


	62. Total Eclipse: Escape from the Bunker

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty-Two: Total Eclipse: Escape from the Bunker

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

The rows of black figures marched closer and closer. Rose studied them with a frown. Something about them was off, too… Her frown deepened. They were all moving in exact time, the floor quivering with every stamp of their feet. It was too mechanical.

"Do something!" Jackie screamed.

"Doctor, are these robots or people?" Rose asked quickly. Her hand quivered a little as she pushed her mum to the side and jumped over to the doorway. With a shift of her wrist, Rose's sword form and she brought it up in front of her. None of the figures flinched back or even slowed down. "Doctor?!"

"Robots," the Doctor answered. His sonic screwdriver beeped. "Main control in heads."

"Great!" Rose all but shouted in relief. Jumping forward, she avoided the first robot trying to grab her and swung her sword. The blade sliced through the metal of the head and sparks went flying. "Robots are so much better. Much easier!"

Behind her, Rose heard the sonic screwdriver whirling and two of the robots suddenly stopped. Their joints were sparking slightly and they struggled to move. "This is familiar," Rose called back to the Doctor. He laughed and Rose swung her sword again, taking off another's head. "Mind you, I didn't have a sword then."

"The Pied Piper wouldn't have stood a chance," the Doctor chuckled.

Another two robots stopped as their joints froze. One of the robots swung at Rose with the electrified stick and she dodged it on instinct. Her mum yelled something, but Rose ignored it. Narrowing her gaze on the next one, Rose sidestepped one of the energy batons only to have another come within an inch of hitting her leg. She swung the sword again, slicing off an arm and then ducked down to take out a total of four legs.

Rose backed up again. Alarms were blaring and behind her, Jackie was shouting at the Doctor. She wasn't sure how many more there were but kept moving. Her sword flashed in the light as she beheaded another one and quickly sliced through the head on of one of the downed ones. Sparks were igniting around her and there was a dull machine whine as they collapsed. With two more swings, Rose took out the last ones and exhaled slowly.

Grinning, Rose turned towards the Doctor only to find him at the screen again. He was frowning and Rose glanced down the hallway again. It was a mess of parts and black limbs. Part of her mourned the chance to take one of these apart with Malcolm and Tosh. That would have made for a fun day.

"Doctor?"

"This isn't going to be easy to stop," the Doctor said. "The machine isn't here. This is a separate facility, mostly for prisoners and research according to this."

"Great," Rose muttered. "Where is it then?"

"That's what I'm trying to find," the Doctor grumbled.

"Some help you are," Jackie hissed. "You let my Rose fight all those things herself." Then Jackie threw herself forward, her hands checking Rose's arms and sides frantically. "Are you alright sweetheart?!"

"I'm fine Mum," Rose said. "The Doctor helped with several, but he needs to find out what's going on." Forcing a smile for her mum, Rose tried to ignore the disapproval on her mum's face. "Besides, I'm the one with the sword. Anyway, if Eclipse uses that machine again it'll be bad news for the whole world."

"What is this machine you're talking about?"

"Eclipse, the bad guys are a group of people who have collected alien technology and plan to use it to take over the world," Rose explained in a rush to her mum. To her surprise, Jackie was watching her with an intense expression. "They have some sort of atmosphere controller or force field generator."

"It uses the carbon in the atmosphere to form a barrier," the Doctor said. "Limited fabrication technology."

"The carbon? Oh great, they're using our pollution against us then?" Rose could have hit something. "That's a depressing thought. As if it wasn't bad enough already."

"Ah don't worry, you lot figure out ways of gathering the carbon and heavy metals in the next few decades," the Doctor said. He was almost dismissive.

"Well that's good to know," Rose said. "But what about today?" Rose looked into the corridor again. "Doctor we can't linger here. I'm sure that Eclipse has a lot more they can throw at us!"

"I'm in," the Doctor said. The screen changed in front of him. "But… it's not here."

"The machine?"

"It's in a base in the Sierra Nevada mountains," he grumbled.

"Uh that's familiar, but my geography isn't that great," Rose said.

"California," the Doctor said. He slipped the sonic screwdriver back into his pocket and stepped back from the terminal. "This is just storage and research. We can't stop them from here?"

"What if we dumped a virus into the system?" Rose asked. She was already reaching into her bag.

"Wouldn't do it. The fabricator has an internal computer system, its designed to be used in terraforming before any network systems are even established." The Doctor nodded towards the corridor. "Nothing more we can do here now Rose, let's get back to the TARDIS."

Rose nodded and at first reached for the Doctor's hand, but then hesitated and looked towards her mother. Jackie was eyeing them carefully, the sort of searching look that told Rose her mum was going to come to the right conclusion a lot faster than she wanted her to. Forcing a small smile, Rose rejoined her mum.

"Come on Mum, let's go before more robotic guards show up."

"You think there's more of those things?"

"I'm sure there are."

They stepped out into the corridor around the piles of parts. One started to move causing Jackie to scream. Rose summoned her sword and slashed the head open to finish the job. Taking her mum's hand she pulled her along back towards the TARDIS with the Doctor in the lead. His shoulders were tense and Rose was straining her ears for even the slightest sound of more danger. Suddenly the alarms began anew, echoing in the corridor and threatening to deafen them.

"Now what?" Jackie shrieked. Somehow her voice carried over the alarms.

Rose pulled harder on her hand to get her to speed up. Up the corridor a massive grate slid down from the ceiling and secured into the floor, blocking the way. Rose glanced around for the closet, but it was on the other side of the grate. Summoning her sword, she put on an extra burst of speed. Her feet tried to slide on the tile, but Rose swung her sword with a shout, slicing through five of the bars. She looked back as the Doctor reached her and found her mum was almost to them. Using her sword, she sliced lower on the same five bars to form a hole.

"Go through," Rose said. The Doctor caught her eye, but nodded, bending over so he could get through. To Rose's relief, he turned and helped Jackie through. "Keep moving!"

"Stop being so bossy!" Jackie snapped.

Rose climbed through the hole just as the tone of the alarms changed. Behind her, the gate began to rise to allow the robots through. The Doctor opened the door to the store room, looking back at the advancing troops. At least they only seemed to have one speed. Rose jumped forward and shoved her mum into the store closet behind the Doctor. Closing the door behind them, Rose kept her sword out as the Doctor unlocked the TARDIS.

"What are you doing?" Jackie hissed. Her mum looked around nervously. "Rose we have to go!"

"We are Mum," Rose promised. The door of the TARDIS opened and the Doctor gestured them inside. "Come on, into the TARDIS."

"The what?"

"Time and Relative Dimensions in Space," Rose said. Then she shook her head and grabbed her mum's hand, pulling her around the blue box. Jackie froze as the huge inside of the TARDIS came into view. "It's the Doctor's ship."

"It's alien," Jackie said. The Doctor rolled his eyes and stepped inside.

"Yes, Mum." Rose tried not to sigh but shoved her mum into the box. Jackie squeaked and Rose turned around as she stepped inside and closed the doors. "Good to go, Doctor!"

Rose exhaled in relief as the familiar grinding sound of the TARDIS taking off echoed around them. Then she turned to find her mum on the ramp, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. Rose grimaced a bit and waited for the Doctor to remember their extra passenger.

"Mum?" Rose called carefully. "Uh, you okay?"

"How'd you do this then?" Jackie asked. She looked over her shoulder towards the doors and then around the large room again. "Shove a big room into a small box?"

"The TARDIS is transdimensional," Rose explained. "Time Lord technology bends normal physics so you can have a larger internal area mapped onto a small exterior area." Jackie gave her a blank look. "Bigger on the inside, it's advanced science. Not a trick."

"Time Lord?" Jackie repeated. "That what he is then?" She nodded towards the Doctor. The look on her face was still stormy and Rose really hoped that the Oncoming Storm didn't show up today. She couldn't deal with both right now.

"Yeah, he's a Time Lord," Rose confirmed. "And my friend so be nice."

"He's alien."

"To him we're the aliens."

"But he looks human."

The Doctor scoffed and glanced toward them. "No, you look Time Lord."

"His people predate us," Rose said. She gave the Doctor a warning look. "But he's here to help. We've worked together before and he's saved Earth lots of times. It'll be fine." Giving her mum a smile, Rose walked up to join the Doctor. "What do you think?"

"We need to find a way to disable the fabrication system," the Doctor said. "Based on what I found in their system it is largely damaged so at least it has limited function."

"But it's working enough to use the carbon in the atmosphere to create a shield around the planet," Rose said. "Which will massively affect all life and weather systems."

"Exactly," the Doctor grumbled. "Probably planning to hold the world hostage."

"Bond villains indeed," Rose sighed. "Do you think UNIT would be able to get to the machine?"

"Doubtful," the Doctor replied. He shook his head and touched the console screen. An image of steep mountains appeared. "This base is inside a mountain Rose. They have to get up there and get through whatever defences they have without them activating the machine."

"Okay so we take the TARDIS in and destroy the machine ourselves," Rose said.

"That's the plan," the Doctor agreed. He looked over at her mum. "Don't suppose-"

"No she's not coming with us into an Eclipse base," Rose said firmly. "So put that out of your mind." Rose paused and looked over at her mum who was poking at one of the coral beams. "But if you want to put her in an empty storeroom like you did Blon I wouldn't argue."

That got her a chuckle and the tension in the Doctor's shoulders eased a tiny bit. She could still see the worry in his eyes even as he adjusted the TARDIS controls. Around them, the TARDIS rumbled and the Doctor frowned. Rose felt an odd pressure in her head and looked up at the central console.

"What was that?" Jackie demanded. "Can't you drive this thing?"

The Doctor adjusted the controls only for the whole ship to shake. Rose grabbed onto the console and looked over her shoulder to find her mum frantically holding to a column. Jackie screamed a curse at the Doctor and aliens in general that he ignored. Flipping a switch, the Doctor released the console as the TARDIS stopped shaking.

"It's TARDIS-proof!" The Doctor snapped. He slammed a fist down on the edge of the console. "Bloody apes!"

"So we can't get through," Rose said thoughtfully.

"No, this lot has the same bad tech as UNIT," the Doctor growled. "Blocking my TARDIS!"

"Okay so we can't get the machine," Rose said. "But there are two parts to this… the carbon." Rose gripped the Doctor's arm. "Can we do anything about the carbon?"

"Maybe… we'll still have to get into that bunker."

"Well if this lot have super weapons then doesn't that mean your lot, UNIT, has some weapons of their own?" Jackie demanded impatiently. "I mean if they'd got you and all those other brains then don't they have ships or something? You could blast the bunker!"

"Ships?" Rose repeated. She blinked at her mum and something jostled in her memory. "The Enterprise!" Rose shouted. "That's it!"

"Enterprise?" Jackie repeated with a curl of her nose. "What are you on about? This isn't the time for your sci-fi shows."

"No, the actual Enterprise," Rose said. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her Mum and looked back at the Doctor. 'You said- uh you will say that it is important."

"There's actually a spaceship called Enterprise?" her Mum said. "Honestly who came up with that?"

"I voted for Enterprise actually," Rose answered. "I liked it better than Valiant."

"I like Valiant," her Mum grumbled.

"Well too bad Mum, you aren't part of the Science Department!" Rose turned back to the Doctor. "Does that make any ideas spring to mind?"

"A few actually," the Doctor said. He glanced towards her mum. "The problem is in the atmosphere, there's too much carbon. Our options are to shut down the machine or deal with the carbon."

"Machine would be easier in theory," Rose said.

"In theory, yes, but this lot have a small army guarding it. UNIT attacks them and they activate it, doing a lot of damage."

"So what's the plan? Or the gist?" Rose asked.

"Gist?" The Doctor repeated. Then he grinned a little. "I think I like that. Gist. Fantastic Rose Tyler. Well, the gist is to get the Enterprise. I have a few ideas that will let you put her chemistry skills to work without blowing anything up."

"Ace would be so disappointed in you."

"Not all problems can be solved by explosions Rose."

"Remind me how you dealt with the Autons?"

A manic grin was her only answer as the Doctor moved around the console. His eyes were brightening and Rose could see an idea taking shape. Looking over at her mum, she found Jackie glaring daggers at the Doctor and held back a sigh. It seemed today was going to be a rather mixed bag of the good and the bad. At least now her mum was safe and they had the beginnings of a plan. The TARDIS shuddered and the Doctor shouted for them to hold on.


	63. Total Eclipse: The Enterprise

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty-Three: Total Eclipse: The _Enterprise_

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

The TARDIS shuddered, her mother shrieked and Rose looked over to check on her. The Doctor wasn't at all bothered and just flipped another switch. Then they landed a few moments later. Exhaling slowly, Rose reached up and patted the central column. She hoped they were in the right place. Jackie raced for the door and threw them open before Rose could stop her.

They had landed in a small storage room. There were shelves bolted to the walls with heavy crates secured in place by multiple clamps. That right there made Rose fairly sure that they were indeed on the _Enterprise_. She caught her mother's arm.

"Easy mum," Rose said. "We're fine, see."

"We've moved," Jackie turned to stare at the blue box. "Does it fly?"

"Disappears there and reappears here," the Doctor said. He closed the doors of the TARDIS and looked around. "You wouldn't understand."

"Listen, you-"

Soldiers rushed into the room. Unlike on Earth, they were armed with much smaller firearms and Rose recognised them as the electric stun variety. Jackie squealed and placed herself in front of Rose. Thankfully the leader, a young sergeant took one look at the TARDIS behind them and yelled for them all to stand down.

"Hi there," Rose greeted. She forced her way around her mum. "I'm Rose, he's the Doctor and we need some help with the sun going out crisis."

"Doctor," one of the crew said. "It's good to have you here sir!"

The assembled crew saluted and the Doctor's shoulders tightened. Rose stepped over next to the Doctor, giving him a reassuring smile before turning her attention back to the guards.

"Sorry to drop in like this, but we need to speak with Colonel Frost," she said. "And don't worry about saluting, we're not officers and we haven't the time."

"Uh, yes ma'am," the sergeant said. "If you'll come with me Doctor, Miss Tyler I'll take you to the Colonel."

The Doctor followed them out and Rose looked at her mother. Jackie looked ready to cry or scream, but instead huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. She gave Rose a look and followed them out. Rose held back a sigh. She wasn't sure if she was in trouble or not, even she couldn't' figure out what was going on in Jackie Tyler's head. Vaguely, she heard one of the new escorts call the bridge.

Outside the storage room, they entered a wide corridor with lots of doors leading off of it. Crewmembers in their uniforms or medical or science attire passed them, giving their little trio curious looks. Many nodded to her respectfully and looked her mother in surprise. Following the soldiers, they walked into a corridor that followed the edge of the ship. A large thick window looked out into space.

"In here," the sergeant said. "This is the meeting room. We've already alert Colonel Frost that you're onboard."

"Right then," the Doctor said. He gave them a manic smile and headed into the room.

"I'm in space!" Jackie's soft cry made Rose smile and she turned to find her mum looking down at the Earth through the large window. "I'm actually in space." Her voice was thin and small.

"Beautiful isn't it Mum?" Rose said. Stepping over next to her mum, Rose took in Jackie's shocked and awestruck expression. "Welcome to the future."

"This is really a spaceship?" Jackie asked. "We're not in some sort of set and that just a telly. You're not having me on."

"Mum I love you, but there really isn't anything that would motivate me to put on this sort of a show." She tilted her head towards the window. "You're really on a spaceship. Uh, don't touch anything unless one of the crew tells you to. _Enterprise_ still has some bugs they're working out, it is the first Earth starship."

"What about the shuttles?"

"This is the first ship that has an engine capable of leaving the solar system," Rose said. "And it is still a secret so you can't talk about it."

"But-"

"Not with anyone." Rose tried to sound stern. " _Enterprise_ 's mission is to monitor Earth for threats and serve as a communication relay to currently known alien species." Rose glanced towards the waiting soldiers. "She's due to go public next year and help in a mission to Mars."

"Taxpayer dollars at work," Jackie muttered. "But I suppose with all the aliens around here it's useful."

"It helps and hopefully it will let us resolve this issue with Eclipse without having to go to full-scale war against their bunker." Rose knew that it would come to that eventually, but at least if they pulled this off they wouldn't have the countdown to a new Ice Age to rush against. "We have to keep going," Rose said gently.

"I can stay with her," the sergeant volunteered. He offered Rose a small smile, looking very eager. "You need to speak with the Captain ma'am."

"Okay," Rose agreed. Jackie looked ready to argue and Rose squeezed her hand. "I'll be right through that door mum, but Frost and the Doctor don't know each other."

She could tell that her mum wasn't convinced. Rose leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I promise we'll talk soon mum and I am sorry that this happened." She took a step back and silently begged her mum to understand. "I love you, but I have to make sure that Earth is going to be okay."

Her mum hesitated, a dozen emotions churning her eyes, but then she nodded. Rose could tell she wasn't happy, but it was probably as close to a real blessing as she was even going to get. Giving her mum a smile, Rose kissed her cheek again quickly before stepping into the room.

It was a small office space with a large table in the centre and chairs that were secured to the floor. There were no windows and it had pale grey walls. It was boring, but Rose suspected it was staff meetings. The Doctor was tense, pacing like a panther in the small office. Rose stayed quiet and just watched him as the sound of her mum's voice washed over them from the next room. Part of Rose knew that she should really rescue the sergeant from Jackie's questions and potential flirting, but she was now much more worried about the Doctor.

"You okay?"

"Fine," the Doctor said. "Fine."

"Look they're military, I get it, I know," Rose said gently. "I have a good relationship with UNIT now, but Benton always had to drag me to me my annual inspections because of how much I don't like guns."

The Doctor's posture didn't change much and Rose flashed back to Utah. He might not like guns, but that didn't stop him from picking them up either. "Frost is good," she promised. "She may be a soldier, but she's as good as they come. Right up there with Alistair and John." That caught his attention and he glanced up at her. "Not long ago, the Qreiz'elt came to Earth and there was a big mess with Eclipse using their presence as a chance to make a power play. They got into the U.N. Security Council and I was supposed to be arrested. Frost disobeyed orders and staged a mutiny in order to help me." Rose smiled at the Doctor even as his eyes widened in surprise and worry. "So really, she's a good person, military or not. So please try to be patient with her."

He nodded. "How your mother?"

"Overwhelmed," Rose said. "I'll need to talk with her, but right now I'm not even sure how to start that conversation." Shaking her head, Rose sighed. "I still can't believe they kidnapped her."

"You're easy to find." The Doctor looked over at her. His eyes were soft but fearful. "All a person has to do is look up Rose Tyler and they'll find you and your family."

"I know." Rose leaned against the table and tapped her fingers against the edge of it. "I've been warned about that in the past, but…" Trailing off, Rose shook her head.

Frost strode into the room. Her blonde hair was piled on her head and she looked tired but determined. She nodded quickly to Rose and her hand tightened at her side, probably as she fought back the urge to salute as she looked at the Doctor.

"Welcome back to the _Enterprise_ Doctor."

"Back?"

"Not yet," Rose said quickly. "That's his future Frost."

"Understood Thorn," Frost replied. "I'm sorry we haven't the time for a tour, sir. I am Colonel Elizabeth Frost, captain of the _Enterprise_."

"You're aware of the situation on Earth?"

"Yes Doctor, we've been running scans and circling the Earth in an attempt to build a picture of what is happening, but I'm afraid that we've had limited success."

"Has there been any demands from Eclipse?" Rose asked.

"I'm afraid so. After the first event, they sent a warning message to the security council declaring that they could block out the sun again." Frost's expression was completely calm. "Obviously UNIT has been working on tracking them."

"We know where they are," the Doctor said. "But the bunker is TARDIS-proof and it'll take days to get in."

"We haven't got days," Frost protested. "They want the surrender of the United Nations and several countries to them within six hours or they will put up the barrier for good. That means a new Ice Age."

"Actually it will probably cook all of you," the Doctor said. Rose turned and stared at him in shock over his calm tone. "Enclosing the Earth in a carbon field would prevent heat from escaping. You generate it artificially so Earth would heat up despite no direct sunlight."

"It would be bad anyway it goes," Rose cut in. "Let's focus on that yeah."

"Right." The Doctor looked at Frost. "You've been gathering information?"

"Yes, we've been running scans on changes in atmospheric makeup."

"Show me."

"Of course sir," Frost replied. "If you'll follow me."

"Look, Doctor, work on that plan. I need to check on my mum." Rose paused and licked her lips nervously. "I'll catch up with you. Okay?"

"Yeah, fine Rose," the Doctor replied. He seemed a bit nervous too. "Everything alright?"

"Sure fine," Rose said quickly. "I just… I haven't told her that I leaving with you." Rose shrugged and gestured around. "Not the best time, but since we're just waiting…"

"Go on then." The Doctor was smiling a bit more and Rose returned the warm look.

She left the room and found the sergeant standing a few feet from her mother. He shifted a bit nervously and Rose walked over to join her mother. "What do you think Mum? _Enterprise_ was built from a combination of Earth and alien technology as we learned how it worked. I'd say she's the most advanced technology the human race possesses, but that's probably not true."

"Seems a bit much."

"Well she is very large, but that helps maintain a gravity field," Rose explained. "That's why we can stand normally in here. Without that and some technology we'd just be floating." Rose pointed towards some small indents along the wall. "There are actually hand holds throughout the ship just in case that happens."

"You must hate the fact that I'm so stupid," Jackie grumbled. "You understand all of this!"

"I don't hate you, Mum," Rose said seriously. She turned and took her Mum's hands, looking her straight in the eye and willing her to believe her. "To be honest… I'm not sure I've ever given you enough credit." Rose smiled a little and shook her head. "When I got started in all this, started saving the world on a more routine basis I sort of figured those parts of my personality came from Dad, but not all of them. Brushing myself off and keeping going, I got that from you. Doing what I can with whatever I've got, that's from you."

"Rose-" Jackie sniffed and shook her head. "I could never do what you do. I could never save the world."

"Saving the world can be simple, though, not the actions, but the emotions," Rose said thoughtfully. "It's big picture. If you fail… well, you won't be around to have regrets or second guess yourself." Rose chuckled. "But Mum you were a single mum before you were my age. I couldn't have done that. I would have been paralysed by fear, of getting it wrong."

"I was," Jackie insisted. "I was sure you'd end up hating me or resenting me!"

"Never," Rose promised. "I don't and I won't." Rose squeezed her mum's hands. Taking a deep breath, she considering sending the sergeant away, but so far he was giving them some distance. "I know I'm not what you imagined your daughter would turn out like, but I'm happy with who I am. Even with as strange as it all is."

Taking a moment, Rose licked her lips and risked a glance out the window. The stars twinkled at her and Earth hung in the air like a jewel of blue and green. Now or never, she'd put it off too long as it was.

"Mum, look I haven't told you about what I'm doing after graduation."

"Working for UNIT I assume," Jackie said. She tilted her head and considered her hopefully. "Unless your friend the Prime Minister offered you a nice safe job in London."

"Uh… sorry Mum no." Rose braced herself for the worst. "I'm going to go travelling for… well awhile at least." More like the rest of her life since the Doctor was her fiancé and the father of her future children even if he didn't know that yet. Her mum didn't need to know that part yet. "In outer space, in the TARDIS with the Doctor."

Shock overtook Jackie's face and for once her mum was completely speechless. Rose was too nervous to enjoy it properly. "So you're just going to leave?"

"I'll visit," Rose said. "I promise, but Mum…" She hesitated. It seemed too much to tell her mum that half the threats coming to Earth were probably her fault or reveal that there were cosmic forces involved in her life. "I don't belong here."

"But you have friends here, and you could keep working at UNIT." Jackie sniffed again. "I won't argue with that anymore! I promise." She gestured around frantically. "You can even work on this ship. I won't like it, but that'll be okay!"

"That's not why I want to go and travel," Rose said urgently. "Mum I've already been into space before and if you could see it all you'd never stay home. It's brilliant and wonderful. There's so much life and so many cultures and just… people. It's beautiful and I love it and I've been wanting to go for years. I only stayed this long because I really worked hard to get into Cambridge."

"But-but I don't want you to!"

"Mum I'm an adult and I want to go," Rose said firmly. She tried to keep her voice calm and even. "I'll be fine. I'm experienced at this remember. I'll just be saving a few others planets now and able to see amazing things." Jackie's horror hadn't faded and after a moment of debate Rose decided to play dirty. "It makes me happy."

"But-but-"

"I'm sorry I waited so long to tell you," Rose apologised. "I just wasn't sure how you'd take it."

"Poorly!" Jackie whirled and glowered at her. "First it's aliens! Then it's going off to school and more aliens! Rose a sane person wouldn't go rushing off into space. It's not safe!"

"Life on Earth isn't safe," Rose insisted. "Just… look Mum Eclipse kidnapped you! They sent an agent to seduce you," Jackie glared at her words. "And then captured you in order to keep me from helping! That isn't safe either. Earth is no safer for me than life with the Doctor!"

"You could try!" Jackie argued. "Marry Mickey-"

"No Mum," Rose interrupted before Jackie could take that thought any further. "I don't' have those sorts of feelings for Mickey, never have and he's finally moving on so don't go stirring that up."

"He's a fine young man!"

"Yes he is, but he works for UNIT. Even if and that is an impossible if I did become involved with him I'd still be connected to UNIT." Rose struggled to organise her own thoughts. "Mum this is my life. I thought you'd accepted that."

"That was before you revealed that you won't even stay on Earth!"

"I just want to see the universe," Rose said. She sighed and looked out the window again. "Mum I don't want to look up at the stars and wonder, I want to know. It's not about you or Mickey or UNIT or even Eclipse, it's about me."

Jackie turned and looked out the window once more. She was biting her lip and Rose's chest tightened. Her mother's stance and hard expression were familiar, all too familiar. Once again Rose had put them there. She heard the sergeant shifting behind them uncomfortably and looked down at Earth. It was in danger and helping the Doctor would at least distract her. Leaning forward before Jackie could move away, Rose kissed her mum's cheek.

"I'm sorry I'm such a poor daughter," Rose said. "But I am what I am. I love you, Mum. Stay safe."

She turned and strode over to the sergeant. Thankfully her voice stayed even as Rose asked where she could find the Doctor and Frost. The uncomfortable looking sergeant pointed her in the right direction with his calm military expression still firmly in place. Without looking back at her mother, Rose headed off. Time to the save the world, that was less complicated.


	64. Total Eclipse: Diamonds in the Sky

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty-Four: Total Eclipse: Diamonds in the Sky

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Thank you so much for the amazing feedback on the last chapter. The Jackie and Rose conversation was a long time coming and getting so many positive reactions really made all the work I put into it worthwhile.

….

The Doctor was taking stock of the ship as he walked along with Colonel Frost. She still wore a UNIT uniform, but it was slightly altered with a special patch for the Enterprise on her sleeve. It was a nice touch. The ship was sleek and while he recognised aspects of the technology used it had all clearly been altered and augmented for human use. At least they were taking the time to learn how it worked before throwing it into a ship. There wasn't much of a crew from what he could see, but they all looked alert and ready. Most were unarmed, but there were guards scattered here and there in the corridors. He did his best to ignore the weapons.

"We've had contact with Geneva," Frost said. She looked a touch nervous, but resolute. "However I hesitate to rely on them too much. The recent incident with 456, uh the Qreiz'elt proved that there are Eclipse agents active even at the highest levels."

"You were part of that weren't you?"

"Yes, I was Doctor." Frost's tone was even, but her chin raised a tiny fraction in pride

"Rose said you helped her against the Qreiz'elt," the Doctor said. His words were casual, but there was an underlying curiosity and worry in his tone.

"Yes well Rose saved my life, back at Downing Street," Frost said. She smiled sadly at the memory. "I was the only one who heard her warning in time. The aliens had electrified our identification badges in order to kill most of Earth's alien experts in one moment. That still haunts her a bit, but she was able to save me. When the Qreiz'elt came and Eclipse sent that wretched Bates to take over and Sir Alistair and Brigadier Benton both moved to help Rose I knew that there was nothing else I should be doing."

They finally reached their destination, a small office but with screens on one side that showed readouts from the Enterprise and the planet below. Some sort of briefing room, probably near the bridge, the Doctor guessed. Moving away from Frost the Doctor checked the first screen in less than two seconds and then moved to the next one.

"Any ideas Doctor?"

"Yes." He turned to look back at Frost who was in parade rest by the door. "I'll need your ship to make my idea work, though."

"You have your reputation Doctor and I know Rose. Whatever you need of the Enterprise you've got."

"Could hurt the ship."

"If there's time to evacuate the crew then I won't hesitate," Frost replied. "And if there isn't… well, Earth matters more. We all know that."

"Probably won't do that much damage," the Doctor said. He was watching her expression carefully, but she remained completely calm. "But could hurt your career."

"While I enjoy the fact that the first true Starship captain of humanity is a woman and I like the position I'd still do whatever you believe necessary," Frost promised. "I got a glimpse of how Eclipse works Doctor and me, this ship and even this crew aren't worth risking them getting the world." Frost met his gaze calmly. "I haven't got children, but I've got a younger sister and a niece. I know who I'm protecting."

"Rose was right about you." The Doctor smiled and nodded approvingly. "Alright then. This ship uses a radiation conversion engine, right?" the Doctor asked Colonel Frost. His expression was thoughtful. "That's why it was completed in space? You can't take it too low into Earth's atmosphere."

"Yes," Frost agreed. "The scientists theorised that the radiation conversion system would largely fail in Earth's atmosphere. The magnetic field protects the planet from the worst of the sun's radiation. That's why we have the transmat beam system and are working a viable shuttle for the ship to use."

"Yeah, but those engines can also give off some interesting energy of their own," the Doctor muttered. He stopped walking and looked thoughtful. "This machine Eclipse is a modified fabrication unit. It's designed to use elements in an alien atmosphere as building blocks. Used in terraforming and is outlawed by the Shadow Proclamation for any other use."

"So?" Frost asked.

"So everything," the Doctor scoffed. "This lot don't really know what they've got and the machine was barely working. It's got only one program running it seems. Be grateful for that, these machines if fully operational can alter the core of a planet, rewrite aspects of the atmosphere and help establish magnetic fields." Frost's eyes widened in alarm and the Doctor nodded. Good, she needed to know what they were dealing with. "Thankfully this Eclipse hasn't got a big one or it's too damaged. It's using mostly the carbon from the CO2 to build a thin barrier. Very thin, but enough to impact things." The Doctor's frown deepened. "But there are ways to disrupt something like that, they're very delicate."

"So an attack may be our best option," Frost said firmly.

"And in the meantime, they activate the machine again," Rose's voice said near the door. Turning quickly, the Doctor fought back a smile as Rose entered the briefing room with one of the crew on her heels. The crewman saluted the Colonel before withdrawing. The Doctor relaxed when she moved over to join him. She looked a bit sad but determined and he couldn't deny that he was glad she'd chosen to join him rather than Frost. It was an odd stray thought he didn't want to dwell on. "And do who knows how much damage."

"Exactly," the Doctor agreed. He turned his attention back to Frost who was watching them both. "No, we have to make it so the machine can't work at all." Then he started to grin. "And we've got what we need for that."

"Doctor," Colonel Frost called. "What is your plan?"

"Enterprise's engines," the Doctor said. His grin was manic and Rose felt both hope and worry at the sight of that expression. "Combine that with the sonic modulator technology and we can lower the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere."

Frost looked over at Rose for a translation, but Rose was a bit lost as well. The Doctor didn't seem to notice and moved over to one of the computers. Frowning, Rose looked after him as she turned over the bits of the conversation that she'd heard over in her head. She glanced towards Frost and gave her a small nod before moving closer to the Doctor. He was studying a set of reports intently.

"Doctor I'm not completely clear on your plan, but I think that you're thinking to… force the CO2 out of the atmosphere?"

"Yeah," he replied with a manic smile.

"But that will just cause acidification of the oceans if we dump too much at once," Rose said. "That will have major environmental impacts."

"Not if I force it into a stable form," the Doctor replied simply. ".04% is all the carbon in your atmosphere, but it's enough. You can thank industrialisation for that."

"Yes well we can also thank industrialisation for a commonly used goods too," Rose said. "So let's not get into that right now. So you're going to lower the carbon percentage so the fabrication machine has nothing to use. How exactly?"

"Like I said: Enterprise's engines are just what I need. Combine that with the proper sonic modulation and I can force a reaction in the CO2 and force it into a solid form. It falls to Earth and the fabricator can't use it." He looked over at Frost. "You should alert those you trust, make it Alistair, that we'll be ready to keep the machine from firing up soon."

There was a vaguely alarmed look on Frost's face, but she nodded. The Colonel then looked at Rose. "Tyler, you remember the location of the engine room?"

"Yeah, I'll see him down there."

"Very well, I'll alert Sir Alistair and Brigadier Benton of your plan. They can alert UNIT US."

"And Section 13, Eclipse is almost in their back yard," Rose added. "They can help too."

"As you say, Tyler," Frost said. She turned and gestured to the crewman who'd brought Rose in. "Stay with them and get the Doctor whatever he needs."

….

Enterprise's engineering control was just as Rose remembered it. There were a pair of windows on the ground level that looked out into space and towards the thrust control, probably for last resort visual checks. Several levels high there were catwalks overhead and lots of thick piping connecting various machines. The largest of the machines were in the middle of the room with a soft blue glow surrounding them. The Doctor headed straight for them, leaping up onto the platforms surrounding the engines. Rose waited for a moment, unsure as to what she should do.

Her eyes moved over to the engineers who was at their stations in the semi-circle of sleek control stations. Walking over to join them, Rose looked over the shoulder of one at the touchscreen which was monitoring the engine output. The engineer herself was watching the Doctor nervously.

"It'll be okay," Rose said gently. "He knows what he's doing." Rose held out a hand to the woman and smiled. "I'm Rose Tyler."

"Mathilda Higgins," the woman replied, shaking Rose's hand. "Uh… let us know if you need anything I suppose."

"We will," Rose promised. Behind her back, the hum of the sonic screwdriver filled the air and she braced herself. "Uh just be ready to run if he tells you to."

"Is that likely?" Mathilda's face went a bit pale.

"I'm honestly not sure," Rose admitted. "He's operating at a higher techno level than I used to."

Rose turned her attention back to the Doctor. In the corner of her eye, she saw the crew keep moving around and doing their jobs, but all of them gave the Doctor space. Some stopped to watch him with that familiar look of awe, curiosity and uneasiness that so often followed him. The Doctor adjusted the sonic modulator settings, eyes dark with concentration. Suddenly the whine of the engines changed and Rose's heart skipped a beat. She was moving towards the engines before she even thought about if she should.

"Doctor, what is going to happen on Earth?" Rose stepped closer to him and eyed the settings in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"This is happening because they have the right tech," the Doctor said. "We need to get rid of that chemical combination."

"Right and this will do that how?"

"I'm going to make another reaction," the Doctor answered. "The radiation engine absorbs the radiation in space and uses it as power."

"Sort of like the TARDIS and the rift, then?"

"A bit like that, but not nearly as advanced. Using the sonic I can adjust the frequency just enough to cause a small chemical reaction and release some gases and a pressure wave. Those gases will react with the CO2 and draw the carbon together."

"Drawing the carbon together…." Rose blinked as her brain provided several problems and solutions too quickly for her to properly process. It nagged at something at the back of her mind in a familiar way that Rose was certain wasn't from this life. "A carbon dump, getting rid of the excess CO2 and leaving the oxygen behind in the atmosphere."

"Good girl," the Doctor praised.

"But the pressure wave-"

The engines hummed dangerously as the Doctor adjusted the cables and the sonic screwdriver's pitch changed. Rose lingered by the engines and licked her lips nervously. All the hair on her arms were beginning to stand and her skin itched. A sudden creak from the walls made Rose jump. She looked worriedly at the windows.

"Doctor?"

"Pressure waves bouncing back," the Doctor said. "Don't worry we're too high to affect the wildlife."

"Okay… I'm more concerned about the falling carbon," Rose said. "Even with terminal velocity-"

"The pressure waves will help slow everything down," the Doctor assured her. He gave her a manic grin, but Rose could see the worry in his eyes.

"You're not sure if this will work, are you?"

"Course it will work. The chemistry all checks out. Radiation conversion engine pressure wave plus sonic modulation-"

"Yeah but it's a living planet, not a chemistry lab," Rose said. She saw the Doctor tense and nod. Reaching over, she grabbed his free hand and squeezed it. "It'll be fine. You're brilliant."

"Let's hope so," the Doctor said. "Cause here we go."

The pitch of the engine's whine suddenly changed again. It was higher this time, a strange sharp smell filled the engine room and alarms began to blare. Rose slammed her hands over her ears and her teeth ached. Around them, the ship shuddered and Rose felt a rush of fear for them and her for her mum. The crew were rushing about the engine room and she could distantly hear a voice on the intercom, but the words were lost in the high sonic whine.

Then the shaking stopped and the Doctor released a triumphant laugh that Rose wasn't sure what to do with. She glanced towards Mathilda who was unstrapping herself from a chair and rushing back to her control station. The woman smiled in relief and said something into the com as Rose released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Rose looked at the Doctor who was eying the engines carefully like he was braced for something to go wrong, but then he grinned manically and looked towards the nearest window.

Rushing over to the window, Rose blinked as a faint blue glow rippled through the air around the ship. The strange ozone smell was still lingering. All around them the high pitched hum of the sonic modulator echoed through the engines, but it wasn't so painful now. It took her eyes a moment to really see anything amongst the ripples of blue through the pale upper atmosphere. Tiny translucent pebbles were forming in the sky around the ship and beginning to fall to Earth. The Doctor laughed loudly from his place by the engines.

"It's raining… I'm not sure what," Rose gasped. She turned to the Doctor. "You solidified the chemicals?"

"Exactly, concentrated carbon collecting on the particle matter and falling to Earth. Lowering the CO2 levels through the atmosphere."

"By how much and is it enough to stop the fabricator?" Rose asked. She wasn't worried though.

"Oh only by about .02 percent," the Doctor assured her. "Roughly half the current carbon didn't want to do too far." He jumped off the top of the engine chambers, still grinning like a madman. "That machine isn't going to work through that atmospheric condition. Way too much interference."

"You sure?"

"Positive!" The Doctor looked almost offended.

"Rose it's raining pebbles outside!" Jackie burst into the engine room, her eyes wide. "What did he do!?"

"Uh altered Earth's atmosphere so that the fabrication machine can't work," Rose answered. Blinking, she listened to the Doctor laugh and her mum made a noise of alarm. "And I now realise how mad that sounds, but honestly it's okay. Probably will be good for the environment in the long term." She couldn't help smiling even as she realised how mad it all sounded. A giggle escaped her and the Doctor's smile softened as he looked down at her.

"It's raining rocks outside!" Jackie shouted. She glared at the Doctor. "Honestly think of the damage!"

"Wait a tic," Rose said. She turned to the Doctor who was eying her mother distastefully. "High pressures, carbon and heat as they fall…" Rose looked back out the window as the side of the ship creaked again. "Doctor… is it raining diamonds?"

"Yep," the Doctor said. He grinned at her, looking oh so pleased with himself. It was bit adorable. "Told you they'd take a stable form. Coal or graphite just wasn't going to do it."

"What?" Jackie rushed over to the rear window and actually whimpered as she looked out. "Diamonds!? Let me out of here! I need to get some!"

"Mum not all of them will even make it to land," Rose pointed out. "And the price of diamonds is about to take a swan dive."

"And these formed around particle matter," the Doctor added. He was grinning almost evilly at Jackie as she spun back to them. "Imperfections."

"But diamonds!"

"They're just rocks," the Doctor scoffed. "Honestly you apes fussing over little shiny rocks without any special properties."

"To be fair they are hardest naturally occurring substance on our planet," Rose pointed out. She eyed her mum who was turning red. "And pretty expensive."

"Because the diamond companies have trained you lot to buy them and they create artificial shortages," the Doctor said.

"Doctor," Rose said. Her mum was crossing the room.

The Doctor drew back and Rose stepped forward to intercept her mum. Then the doors opened and Colonel Frost strode into the room.

"It worked Doctor," Frost said with clear relief in her voice. "Ground forces are in position. They'll handle the rest. It will be a bit drawn out, but we have time now. Sir Alistair is heading to Geneva to report to the Security Council." She chuckled a little, her shoulders relaxing. "Apparently people are finding diamonds on the ground."

Jackie groaned again, stomping back to the window. The Doctor looked too amused and Rose gently nudged him in the side.

"Hopefully they'll head inside," Rose said. She nibbled at her bottom lip. "Terminal velocity or not getting hit with a rock going that fast will hurt."

"Most should be small," the Doctor assured her. "Shouldn't be too bad."

"Thank goodness this is a one-time thing," Frost said. "I wouldn't want to make a habit of this." She looked towards the nearest wall. "The ship was not built for this."

"Rooossee," her mum whined. "It's raining diamonds and I'm stuck up here!"

"Mum diamonds aren't worth much." Rose walked over and put an arm around her mum. "It's okay. Really, it's okay. Besides everyone is going to have some. The best thing at least is that they won't just dissolve in the ocean."

"Diamonds!"

Squeezing her mum's shoulder, Rose held back a laugh and kissed her cheek. Some of the tension had eased. It wasn't all gone, but Rose could at least breathe again. While her mum kept groaning about diamonds, Rose looked back at the Doctor and gave him a wide smile. He returned the smile, leaning lazily against the back of the controls.

…

AN2: Yes a calmer resolution at least from Rose's side of things, but I wanted the focus to be Rose and Jackie. There is one more chapter so stay turned for chapter 65 coming soon!


	65. Total Eclipse: Farewell to Earth

Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty-Five: Total Eclipse: Farewell to Earth

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: It's done…. Wow the Earth years are finally done. I struggled to believe I'd ever get here. Thank you so much to all of you that have stuck with me or joined in this grand adventure. I will be taking April off to do some editing of the series and work on another project, but I will return with more adventures in May.

….

It was a warm and sunny day when Rose donned the heavy dark robes of King's College. At Jackie's insistence, she'd added a bit more curl to her hair and let it hang loose. To her delight and relief, the ceremony went off without a hitch except of course for the explosion of noise from those who had come to see her graduate. They took up nearly two rows and were getting looks from some of the more formal patrons, but no one said anything as both Alistair and John were in their uniforms. Malcolm, Tosh, Kate and Osgood were seated with them. Her Mum, Sarah Jane and her family, Tegan, Jo, and Ace were in front of them with her mum looking torn between happiness and annoyance. Jo was cheering the loudest of them all, jumping up and down on her feet.

Ian smiled warmly at her and shook her hand. Beaming in return, Rose caught him make a pointed look towards the edge of the audience. She risked a glance and almost laughed. The Doctor, the blue-eyed Doctor, was in the shadows and watching her. Rose returned her seat as the rest of the names and ceremony passed in a blur. This was supposed to be important and a celebration of her years of work, but she couldn't focus. Already her mind was elsewhere.

With every passing moment, Rose's impatience grew until finally the last happy note of the last speech was given. A deafening cheer rose up through the students and family, all sense of decorum gone. Rose kept her cap on and reached up to touch the tassel. Finally, she was done. She laughed as the other caps came floating back to Earth and took her off with a grateful sigh.

It took time for the students to leave. Rose got stuck in a long slow line, weaving her way between families and her former peers. There were shouts of congratulations from the people she knew and Rose had to stop a few times for hugs from those she'd been in classes with. Finally, she made it out of the throng and inhaled a deep breath of fresh air.

The area around the TARDIS was full of her friends and Rose was frozen in place. There were so many of them, chatting with each other. Sarah Jane was talking with her mother. Everyone else had gathered there and Rose felt a jolt of nervousness. Her two bags that she'd entrusted to Ace were waiting for her by the blue doors. This was it, this was finally it, but she'd never imagined so many people being there to see her off.

"There she is!" Sarah Jane laughed, gesturing over to Rose with a beaming smile. "Congratulations Rose!"

"Yeah Rose!" Skye shouted. Her goddaughter rushed over to her, throwing her long arms around Rose's waist and almost knocking her over. Even her own mum, who looked torn between happiness and distress was laughing. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you Skye." Rose chuckled and patted the girl's head as she looked around at the assembled companions. She blinked in surprise as she found that Alistair and John had stayed to see her off. "Thank you so much for coming," Rose said warmly. "I've been very lucky to have so many wonderful people as my friends and colleagues."

"We're proud of you," Jo said happily. "Not to mention who knows the next time we'll see you."

Her mum made a small sound at that but said nothing. Thankfully Skye released her and stepped back, letting Rose finally started her way through her friends. Her eyes jumped back to the TARDIS. The Doctor was nowhere to be seen and Rose was certain he was already inside, waiting for her. Being out here with the others was probably a bit too much for him. And her mother was here.

Ace hugged her tightly, the pair grinning at each other. Rose grinned as Ace whispered, "Look after him, as much as he'll let you. And don't forget to look after yourself too."

"I will," Rose said. The pair shared a look of understanding as Ace handed Rose her shoulder bag and helped her out of the robes.

She hugged the other companions, receiving final bits of advice from Jo and Tegan. Both women were smiling, but she could see worry in their eyes. She didn't blame them, life on the TARDIS was dangerous and she was going into a strange situation. Still, Rose couldn't wait. Sir Alistair shook her hand and smiled while Benton gave her a hug and rolled his eyes at the formality. Rose knew that she'd miss the pair of them but nodded calmly to them.

Malcolm didn't worry about formality. He hugged her tightly. "I'm so proud of you," Malcolm cheered. His glasses were askew and his accent was thicker than usual. "Oh, you do us all so proud. Saving the world and graduating with honours."

"Well I had some help studying sometimes," Rose pointed out. "And it's hard not to pick things up when you spend time with the Science Division."

He laughed out loud, drawing some attention from the other people gathered on the lawn. Malcolm hugged her tightly again, only stepping aside to give Tosh a chance. The former prisoner smiled shyly at her but hugged Rose quickly.

"Thank you for everything," Tosh said. "I'll miss your visitors."

"I suspect you'll see me more than you think," Rose said. She chuckled warmly. "I'm not sure how long Earth can stay out of trouble."

Benton spoke up first. "Just remember to give us the courtesy of a call to explain. Unexplained events cause numerous problems."

"Aren't you retiring soon?" Rose countered.

Alistair snorted, drawing a look of amusement from Kate. "That means nothing and you know it," the General said.

Shaking her head, Rose turned to Kate and accepted a hug from the woman. Their goodbye was calm and Kate gave her a fond smile. "We'll look after Earth," Kate promised.

"I know," Rose said. "But if you do need us."

"I have your number," Kate agreed. "Talking of, you are getting a new phone right?"

"Picked one up this morning," Rose assured her. "I'll get the Doctor to boost it later."

"Good. Glad to hear it."

Rose turned her attention to Osgood next. "Congratulations Miss Ty- Rose," Osgood said quickly. The smaller woman gave her a smile that Rose returned. She was a bit surprised that Osgood had come along but judging from the woman's question mark lapels it had more to do with catching a glimpse of the TARDIS than her. "I've been given orders from the rest of the Science Department to say how proud we are and that we'll miss you a great deal."

"I'll miss all of you too," Rose agree. She smiled fondly. "I've had some good times. Nothing beat back summer boredom like the experiments."

Osgood laughed and visibly relaxed. Then she recovered herself and dug into her shoulder bag, pulling out a small package. Osgood blushed slightly as Rose smiled at her and held out a package with a wild grin. "Here," she offered eagerly. "He likes them… at least later on."

Rose dropped her eyes and laughed. Osgood had a large package of Jammie Dodgers and Rose remembered all too clearly the Eleventh Doctor remarking about the lack of them on the _Enterprise_.

"Thanks, Osgood." Rose slipped them into her own shoulder bag along and smiled. Stepping forward, she surprised the young woman with a hug. "Look after the science department for me, will you? Don't let Malcolm and Tosh do anything too crazy."

"Uh yes ma'am," Osgood said, blushing brightly. "Good luck out there."

"Rose!" Ian called behind her.

Rose turned to find the Ian and Barbara still in their robes jogging up. Both were smiling brightly and Skye rushed past Rose to hug her grandmother. Barbara laughed happily and accepted the hug with a smile. Ian grinned, glancing at them before stepping forward to hug Rose.

"I'm proud of you," Ian said softly. When he released her, Rose blinked back the tears trying to gather. "Despite everything you weren't a half bad student."

"Ian!" Barbara scolded, but Rose laughed. Then she shook her head and looked at Rose. "Sorry, it took a few minutes to get away from other families and the rest of the staff."

"I understand," Rose assured them. "Thanks for coming. I would've hated missing saying goodbye."

"I don't think he's going to leave without you," Ian pointed out. He glanced at the TARDIS and frowned. "The old man could've said hello at least."

"I think there's too many of you here at once for that." Rose grimaced in sympathy for the Doctor. "Give it a regeneration or two."

There were more hugs and goodbyes amongst the companions before Rose shifted her attention to the three teenagers who'd come to see her graduate. Rani, Luke, and Clyde were all grinning at her brilliantly. Rose opened her shoulder bag, ignoring the curious looks she was getting.

"Here Rani," Rose said. She pulled out a single key and an envelope. "The title of my motorcycle and the key."

"Are you serious?" Rani stared at her with wide eyes while Luke and Clyde gaped.

"Wait you're giving her the motorcycle!" Clyde protested while Rani grinned. "Why?"

"Luke has a terrible sense of balance and Rani is the one that I know will attend the classes before trying to ride the thing." She gave Clyde a knowing look and smiled when he sheepishly grinned. "I'd tell you to stay out trouble, but-"

"We make no promises," Skye finished for her with a beaming smile.

"Exactly." Rose grinned at the girl. "I've taught you well. Besides, Mum isn't going to use it."

"That's the truth!" Jackie snapped. Her mum was looking nervously at the TARDIS.

The itch in the back of Rose's mind was growing. Her limbs were all but aching as excitement and nervousness pounded through her system. She stepped in front of Sarah Jane. "I'm going to miss you Sarah Jane," Rose said.

"You'll be far too busy and amazed to miss me." The older woman smiled warmly at her.

"You know that's not true." Rose hugged her tightly. "Thank you for everything."

"I should be telling you that." Sarah Jane sounded a bit teary now. "My life before and after I met you-"

"You never needed me for that." Rose released her and stepped back. "That was all you, I promise you that. But we had some fun times."

"Yes we did and I do expect you to check in sometimes."

"I will and call me if anything too bad happens on Earth."

Sarah Jane nodded and Rose turned her attention to her mother. The others were moving off to give them some space and she felt another rush of gratitude. Jackie bit her lower lip but was silent. For a moment neither of them moved. Then Rose stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her mum. In less than a heartbeat, her mum's arms came up to hold her just as tightly.

"I love you, Mum," Rose whispered into her ear.

"Rose-" There was a hint of something in her mother's voice. It was desperate but resigned. She thought her mum might say something more, but then she just sighed. Rose released her and started to step back, but her mum caught a loose strand of her golden hair in her fingers. Tears were trying to gather in her eyes, but Jackie didn't let them fall. "Please stay safe," Jackie begged.

"I've got my superphone, Mum, I'll call so please try not to worry." Rose brought a hand up and touched her cheek. They just looked at each other for a long moment. "Thank you for everything. You've been a good Mum."

"No, I haven't."

"Yes, you have," Rose insisted. She could feel a few tears prickling at her own eyes and wondered how their relationship might have been if aliens had never been a part of their lives. "You brought me up and I know I didn't make that easy."

"You weren't too bad," Jackie managed. The words came out a bit thin, but she managed a smile. "Go on then. You've set me up for life. I'll be fine."

"If anything weird happens remember-"

"I know I know, Sarah Jane is across the street and call UNIT," Jackie sighed. "Honestly boredom is my greatest danger." Jackie paused and Rose braced herself for one last guilt trip or something similar. "Maybe I'll take some classes, finally learn to cook a few more things. Goodness knows I was surprised to discover I've got a green thumb. Maybe I'll discover another talent."

Blinking in surprise, Rose stared at her mum in stunned silence. That hadn't been what she was expecting. There was no begging, no guilt trip or anything else. It wasn't acceptance exactly, but Rose would take it. Rewarding her mum with a grin, Rose leaned forward and kissed her cheek gain.

"I love you, Mum. Try not to worry."

"Love you too sweetheart."

It was a bit much for Rose. There was a sad and defeated look on her mum's face that hurt more than anything Jackie could have said. Rose nodded to her and grabbed her bag, spinning towards the TARDIS. The sight of the blue box soothed the hurts and doubts, allowing excitement and nervous energy to take its place.

Taking a deep breath and fighting to contain her smile Rose stepped up to the TARDIS. She pulled her key out from under the shirt and unlocked the door. Letting it fall against her chest, she waved to the others as they backed away. Rose grabbed her bags and stepped inside the TARDIS. The warm glow of the console room lit up her face and she looked towards the rotor affectionately. It was different than other versions she'd seen and yet the TARDIS smelled the same and the soft hum surrounding her felt oh so familiar. Setting down her bags, Rose stepped forward and placed a hand on the edge of the console.

"Hello gorgeous," she breathed. "Here we go." The Doctor came around the console, watching her with a small smile. "Just let me stow my things," Rose called to him. She grabbed the two bags and headed down the corridor. "Be right back!"

Rose looked around uncertainly for a moment until her eyes caught sight of a dark cherry wood door with a curved top that was fitted between two curving pillars of the coral-like wall. There was a golden rose carved into the door with a series of circular symbols below it that Rose recognised as linear Gallifreyan. She knew in an instant that this was her room. None the less, her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for the knob. She'd been in the TARDIS plenty, but never in her own room, never in her own space. With a grin, Rose grabbed the knob and twisted, pushing the door open.

It wasn't what she expected. She'd heard about the rooms on the TARDIS from the others. They were comfortable and slowly grew more personalised, but hers was quite different. Rose wasn't sure if that was just a reflection of the new TARDIS layout or the Doctor himself or if this was the grand ship's way of welcoming her aboard. Rose decided she liked the third option best, she liked the idea of the TARDIS approving of her.

The room was large with walls that formed a slight dome and were the warm rust colour of the rest of the ship. A row of roundels lined the upper half of the wall and glowed softly like lights, bathing the room in a golden glow. To her surprise, the floor was a lovely thick white carpet that made her smile as she stepped onto it. A large bed with a deep purple duvet with gold accents filled one side of the room, the wood the same rich tone as the door and a matching large chest at the foot of the bed. The rest of the furniture: a couple of tall bookshelves, a desk, a couple of small night tables, a beautiful vanity and wardrobe all matched the wood of the bed and were classic in their design with soft golden spiral designs accenting them.

One of the shelves already had several volumes on it while the others were empty and waiting for her to fill them. A black and gold kintsugi vase on the left nightstand had a bouquet of purple lilacs whose scent was filling the room. There was a small easel set up on the corner of the desk with an empty canvas just waiting for her.

It was so perfect that it almost hurt. With a happy grin, Rose set her bags down next to the bed and shifted over to brush an affectionate hand on the TARDIS' wall. It was beautiful, a bit classic and a bit alien. Rose fancied that it was a bit like herself and utterly loved it. She just wondered what sort of rules there were about painting on the walls. Beneath her fingers, the TARDIS thrummed and Rose would have sworn it was in response to her question. She wondered for a moment if she'd ever understand the TARDIS like the Doctor did. Rose hoped so.

But as lovely as the room was, there was a Time Lord waiting in the console room for her and the whole of time and space to see. With one last grin, Rose took off her translator and slipped it into her shoulder bag. She eyed the package of Jammie Dodgers and wondered if his current incarnation even liked them and decided against taking it out of the bag. Dashing out of the room, Rose returned to the console room with a wide grin. The Doctor was moving around the console and looked up with a grin as she returned.

"What are you smiling about?" the Doctor asked in a teasing voice.

"Because " Rose replied as she lost control and let her full smile bloom. "I'm finally home."

… Coming 6 May 2017 Travels in Time and Space…

Rewrites of End of the World, The Unquiet Dead, The Beast Below, Fires of Pompeii, Robots of Sherwood, The Rings of Akhaten, and Planet of the Ood plus six original episodes and an original season arc.


End file.
